NASA selects PRIMA far-infrared telescope for 2033 launch
NASA's PRIMA mission, a $1.2 billion far-infrared observatory, will launch in 2033 to study the universe at wavelengths between 24 and 235 micrometers.
NASA has announced it will proceed with the PRIMA mission, the first Probe Explorer, with a launch targeted for 2033. The Probe far-Infrared Mission for Astrophysics will observe far-infrared light at wavelengths between 24 and 235 micrometers, a range largely inaccessible to current observatories.
PRIMA will carry a 1.8-meter primary mirror and orbit the Sun-Earth L2 Lagrange point. Its primary optics must be cooled to 4.5 Kelvin, and its kinetic inductance detector focal planes will be chilled to 100 milliKelvin. To achieve these temperatures, the mission will use a modified spare cryocooler left over from the James Webb Space Telescope, switching from helium-4 to helium-3.
The mission has a cost cap of $1.2 billion excluding launch costs. NASA's Jet Propulsion Laboratory in Pasadena, California, will lead PRIMA. The competing AXIS X-ray observatory mission was disqualified earlier this year.
PRIMA is expected to complement other major observatories, including the James Webb Space Telescope and the future Nancy Grace Roman Space Telescope, by opening a new window on the far-infrared universe. The announcement was reported by arstechnica.com.
Quick answers
What is NASA's PRIMA mission?
PRIMA stands for Probe far-Infrared Mission for Astrophysics. It is NASA's first Probe Explorer mission, designed to observe far-infrared light at wavelengths between 24 and 235 micrometers.
When will PRIMA launch?
NASA aims to launch PRIMA in 2033, seven years from now.
How much does PRIMA cost?
PRIMA has a cost cap of $1.2 billion excluding launch costs.