NASA advances PRIMA far-infrared telescope to Phase B development

NASA has selected the PRobe far-Infrared Mission for Astrophysics (PRIMA) to advance into Phase B development, marking the first mission in the agency’s new Probe Explorers class. The project, which will be managed by the Jet Propulsion Laboratory, is targeting a 2033 launch with a projected cost cap of $1.2 billion.

PRIMA will utilize a 1.8-meter (5.9-foot) telescope to conduct deep surveys in far-infrared light, bridging the observational gap between radio telescopes and existing infrared observatories like the James Webb Space Telescope. The mission aims to study the origins of planets outside the solar system, the growth of galaxies and black holes, and the buildup of cosmic dust and heavy elements.

To achieve high sensitivity, the observatory will employ extreme cooling techniques, including a cryogenic refrigerator using liquid helium-3 to reach temperatures of approximately 3.2 Kelvin. Scientific instruments such as PRIMAger and FIRESS will utilize Kinetic Inductance Detectors chilled to 0.1 Kelvin to capture faint signals across a wide range of wavelengths.