NASA’s SPARCS CubeSat Captures First Ultraviolet Images of Common Milky Way Stars

NASA's Star-Planet Activity Research CubeSat (SPARCS), launched in January 2026, has delivered the first ultraviolet images of nearby low-mass stars, confirming its UV-sensitive detectors and readiness for science operations. Over about a year it will monitor around 20 stars to study how their flares and UV activity affect orbiting exoplanets, a key step in understanding planetary atmospheres and habitability.