Photo: Bill Ingalls · Public domain (US government)
Mission
Astrophysics · SSO
SPHEREx is a planned two-year astrophysics mission to survey the sky in the near-infrared light, which, though not visible to the human eye, serves as a powerful tool for answering cosmic questions involving the birth of the universe, and the subsequent development of galaxies. It also will search…
What it put in orbit
Passes over you When will it cross your sky, and can you see it?
| Object | Type | Orbit | Globe |
|---|---|---|---|
| PUNCH-NFI (SMEX 15A) 2025-047A | Payload | 637 × 654 km · 98.0° | Globe |
| PUNCH-WFI 1 (SMEX 15B) 2025-047B | Payload | 640 × 654 km · 98.0° | Globe |
| PUNCH-WFI 3 (SMEX 15D) 2025-047C | Payload | 639 × 655 km · 98.0° | Globe |
| PUNCH-WFI 2 (SMEX 15C) 2025-047D | Payload | 640 × 654 km · 98.0° | Globe |
| SPHEREX (MIDEX 9) 2025-047E | Payload | 640 × 655 km · 98.0° | Globe |
| SPHEREX DEB 2025-047F | Debris | 617 × 628 km · 98.0° | Globe |
COSPAR ID 2025-047 (data from GCAT, J. McDowell, CC BY 4.0). Orbits from the CelesTrak satellite catalogue (perigee × apogee, inclination).
Where to watch
Replay Launch webcastIn the news
Headlines via the Spaceflight News API.