NASA's Next Cosmic Imager: Two Space Telescope Designs Compete

NASA is evaluating two new space telescope designs, PRIMA and AXIS, to determine which will become the next "Probe" class mission. PRIMA aims to study the universe in far-infrared wavelengths, while AXIS focuses on X-ray imaging of black holes and supernovae. Both projects have until 2026 to finalize their designs, with a $5 million budget each, and the selected mission is expected to launch in 2032. These missions are part of a new class of medium-scale projects proposed to bridge the gap until the next generation of large observatories is developed.