SPHEREx, which stands for Spectro-Photometer for the History of the Universe, Epoch of Reionization and Ices Explorer, was launched on March 12, 2025, from Vandenberg Space Force Base in California aboard a SpaceX Falcon 9 rocket.

The mission aims to collect data on over 450 million galaxies and 100 million stars within the Milky Way, enhancing our understanding of the universe's evolution and searching for the essential ingredients for life.

SPHEREx's findings will enhance understanding of critical astrophysical questions, including the events following the Big Bang and the formation of galaxies.

Scientific analysis of SPHEREx data will involve a collaborative team from 10 institutions across the U.S. and South Korea.

Data from the SPHEREx mission will be processed and archived at the Infrared Processing and Analysis Center (IPAC) at Caltech, which oversees JPL for NASA.

The mission is managed by NASA's Jet Propulsion Laboratory (JPL), with BAE Systems constructing the telescope and spacecraft bus.

The observatory utilizes 102 color filters to rapidly scan the entire sky, collecting data on hundreds of millions of galaxies.

Michael Thelen, NASA's flight system manager for SPHEREx, rang the closing bell during a ceremony at the New York Stock Exchange on April 22, 2025.

This event is notable as it is uncommon for NASA to ring the bell at the NYSE, emphasizing the significance of the SPHEREx mission.

The closing bell ceremony celebrated Earth Day and the recent launch of the SPHEREx astrophysics observatory.

The principal investigator for the SPHEREx mission is affiliated with Caltech and JPL, and the dataset will be made publicly available.

SPHEREx operates in low Earth orbit at approximately 430 miles (700 kilometers) above the surface.