Pandora Mission
 Artist's concept of Pandora observing an exoplanet | |
| Mission type | Astrophysics |
|---|---|
| Operator | NASA |
| Website | https://smallsat.wff.nasa.gov/missions/pandora.php |
| Mission duration | 12 months (planned) |
| Spacecraft properties | |
| Manufacturer | Blue Canyon Technologies, Lawrence Livermore National Laboratory |
| Launch mass | 325 kg (717 lb) |
| Start of mission | |
| Launch date | 2026 (planned) |
| Rocket | Falcon 9 Block 5 |
| Contractor | SpaceX |
| Orbital parameters | |
| Reference system | Geocentric orbit |
| Regime | Sun-synchronous, low Earth orbit |
| Main telescope | |
| Diameter | 45 cm (18 in) |
| Wavelengths | Near-infrared |
| Instruments | |
| Cassegrain telescope | |
Pandora is a small satellite, intended to determine atmospheric compositions of exoplanets by observing them and their host stars at the same time in both visible and infrared light over long periods of time.[1][2]
Science
[edit]The satellite will have sensitivity to identify exoplanets with hydrogen or water present in their atmospheres, as well as what exoplanets are covered by clouds or hazes.[3] Pandora will observe 20 stars and their 39 exoplanets with sizes that range from Earth-size to Jupiter-size, and host stars ranging from mid-K to late-M spectral types.[4][5]
Background
[edit]Pandora is one of three orbital missions approved by NASA to pass to the next development phase in NASA's Astrophysics Pioneers program.[1][6][7] The budget for each mission was $20 million.[8]
Timeline
[edit]The spacecraft bus completed construction in January 2025 and its launch was scheduled for late 2025 on a SpaceX Falcon 9,[9][10] possibly on a Transporter rideshare mission.[11][12][13] The launch was later moved to early 2026.[14]
Notes and references
[edit]- ^ a b Center, NASA's Goddard Space Flight. "Pandora mission would expand NASA's capabilities in probing alien worlds". phys.org. Retrieved 13 November 2021.
- ^ "Pandora mission to study stars and exoplanets continues toward flight". llnl.gov. Retrieved 17 November 2022.
- ^ Gilbert, E.; Quintana, E.; Dotson, J.; Colon, K.; Pandora Team (1 June 2021). The Pandora SmallSat Mission. American Astronomical Society meeting #238. Vol. 53. p. 309.03. Bibcode:2021AAS...23830903G.
- ^ "The Pandora SmallSat - Multiwavelength Characterization of Exoplanets and their Host Stars - Astrobiology". astrobiology.com. 17 August 2021. Retrieved 13 November 2021.
- ^ Talbert, Tricia (6 January 2021). "NASA Selects 4 Concepts for Small Missions to Study Universe's Secrets". NASA. Retrieved 6 December 2022.
- ^ "Astrophysics Pioneers | Science Mission Directorate". science.nasa.gov. Retrieved 17 November 2022.
- ^ "Probing Alien Worlds: NASA's Pandora Mission Builds on UArizona Research". University of Arizona News. 24 March 2021. Retrieved 17 November 2022.
- ^ Tomaswick, Andy (26 January 2021). "NASA has Chosen 4 new Pioneer Missions: Aspera, Pandora, StarBurst, and PEUO". Universe Today. Retrieved 20 December 2022.
- ^ @SpaceX (February 10, 2025). "Falcon 9 to launch the Pandora small satellite to study 20 exoplanets and their host stars" (Tweet) – via Twitter.
- ^ published, Mike Wall (2025-02-11). "NASA picks SpaceX to launch Pandora exoplanet mission". Space. Retrieved 2025-11-16.
- ^ NASA's Pandora mission one step closer to probing alien atmospheres
- ^ Doyle, Tiernan. "NASA Awards Launch Service Task Order for Pandora Mission". NASA. Retrieved 11 February 2025.
- ^ Foust, Jeff (11 February 2025). "NASA selects SpaceX to launch astrophysics smallsat mission". SpaceNews. Retrieved 11 February 2025.
- ^ "Daniel Apai (@danielapai.bsky.social)". Bluesky Social. 2025-11-06. Archived from the original on 2025-11-16. Retrieved 2025-11-16.
 | This spacecraft or satellite related article is a stub. You can help Wikipedia by expanding it. |