NASA POSTPONES LAUNCH OF SPHEREx AND PUNCH MISSIONS ABOARD SPACEX FALCON 9

An Emirati Magazine publication – Released on March 9, 2025 | www.emiratimagazine.com

NASA has postponed the launch of two major space missions, SPHEREx and PUNCH, which were set to lift off aboard a SpaceX Falcon 9 rocket from California. The delay allows more time for rocket checkouts, with a new launch date to be announced soon.

SPHEREx (Spectro-Photometer for the History of the Universe, Epoch of Reionization, and Ices Explorer) is a space telescope that will survey the entire sky in 102 infrared colors, capturing 600 images daily. It will study millions of stars and galaxies, track galactic evolution, and map frozen water and essential elements across the Milky Way.

PUNCH (Polarimeter to Unify the Corona and Heliosphere) consists of four small satellites designed to study the sun’s corona and solar wind. One satellite will image the corona, while the others will track solar eruptions. By analyzing polarised light, PUNCH will improve space weather predictions, aiding Earth’s satellite and power grid protection.