NASA has chosen SpaceX’s Starbase in Texas to launch its new Pandora mission. This mission will study at least 20 known exoplanets—planets outside our solar system—and their stars to understand how changes in stars affect what we see in exoplanet atmospheres. Pandora will provide important information that will help scientists better understand distant worlds and improve future space observations.
About the Pandora Mission
Pandora’s primary goal is to observe each exoplanet it studies ten times during its one-year mission. Each observation will last 24 hours, focusing on when a planet passes in front of its star, known as a transit. During these transits, Pandora will collect data on both the planet and its host star to see how stellar changes impact the signals we detect from the planet.
The mission will use a special 17-inch (45-centimeter) wide all-aluminum telescope. This telescope can measure the brightness of the star in visible and near-infrared light while also capturing detailed near-infrared spectra of the planet. This advanced technology will help scientists separate the signals from the star and planet more clearly, improving the quality of data from Pandora and future missions like the James Webb Space Telescope and the upcoming Habitable Worlds Observatory.
NASA’s VADR Contract and Mission Partners
The launch of Pandora will be part of NASA’s Venture-Class Acquisition of Dedicated and Rideshare (VADR) contract. This contract allows NASA to order launch services over five years with a total value of up to $300 million across various missions. SpaceX was selected under this program to provide the launch service for Pandora.
Pandora is a joint project led by NASA’s Goddard Space Flight Center in Maryland and Lawrence Livermore National Laboratory in California. The mission is funded through NASA’s Astrophysics Pioneers program, which supports smaller, cost-effective astrophysics missions. The Launch Services Program at NASA’s Kennedy Space Center manages the VADR contract and oversees the launch.
Importance of the Pandora Mission
By better understanding how changes in stars affect our observations of exoplanets, Pandora will help scientists refine the study of distant planets and their atmospheres. This mission supports the broader search for habitable worlds beyond our solar system. The data Pandora collects will enhance future missions aimed at finding planets that could support life.
NASA’s selection of SpaceX for the Pandora mission launch highlights the agency’s continued push to explore exoplanets using innovative technology and partnerships. Pandora’s observations will deepen our knowledge of how stars influence what we detect about planets, helping scientists in their search for habitable worlds. With this mission, NASA strengthens its efforts to understand the universe and find new places that might support life.
