"NASA's SPHEREx Mission: Mapping the Cosmos with Unprecedented Precision"
NASA is constructing the SPHEREx space-based observatory, which aims to map over 450 million galaxies and 100 million stars in unprecedented detail and color across 96 color bands in the infrared range. The mission will span two years, producing two maps of the entire sky each year. SPHEREx will study the formation of stars and galaxies, search for evidence of water and other molecules in forming star disks, investigate the Epoch of Reionization, and attempt to understand inflation in the early universe. The telescope is shielded by cone-shaped shields to protect it from infrared radiation and must be cooled to -350 degrees F for optimal observation. The launch is scheduled for no earlier than June 2024.