[REVISION HISTORY]
NASA PRIMA telescope mission development
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2026-09-30 22:39 UTC → 2026-10-04 19:12 UTC ·
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NASA has advanced officially validated the transition to Phase B development for the PRobe far-Infrared Mission for Astrophysics (PRIMA) into Phase B development. (PRIMA). As the inaugural mission in the agency’s new Probe Explorers class, the class—a middle tier positioned between modest missions and large-scale flagship observatories—the project is managed by the Jet Propulsion Laboratory and is targeting a 2033 launch with a projected cost cap of $1.2 billion. This cap excludes billion, excluding launch and non-design costs. The 1.8-meter observatory is designed to bridge the observational gap between radio telescopes and existing infrared facilities, such as the James Webb Space Telescope. By utilizing far-infrared light, the mission aims to investigate the formation of exoplanets, the growth of galaxies and central black holes, the accumulation of cosmic dust and heavy elements, and the origins of water on Earth. Phase B focuses on refining Targeting a 2033 launch, the telescope's detailed design and necessary technologies. The observatory mission will feature an actively cooled 1.8-meter primary mirror made of aluminum. likely be positioned at the Sun-Earth L2 Lagrange point. To achieve the necessary sensitivity for deep surveys, the mission will employ extreme cooling techniques, including engineers plan to utilize a cryogenic refrigerator using liquid helium-3 modified cryocooler system, originally designed for the James Webb Space Telescope, to reach approximately 3.2 Kelvin, while scientific instruments like PRIMAger cool the optics and FIRESS will utilize Kinetic Inductance Detectors chilled sensors to 0.1 approximately 4.5 Kelvin. This supports the mission’s goal of observing cold, dusty regions of the cosmos, such as newborn stars, which are often obscured from other instruments. Phase B focuses on refining the telescope's detailed design and necessary technologies. International collaboration is remains part of the development process, with researchers from Germany contributing to system components intended to stabilize and align the instruments. If the project proceeds to full implementation following a confirmation review, the mission is expected to have a five-year duration.
Versions
- 2026-10-04 19:12 UTC NASA PRIMA telescope mission development
- 2026-09-30 22:39 UTC NASA PRIMA telescope mission development
- 2026-09-30 05:02 UTC NASA PRIMA telescope mission development
- 2026-09-26 04:06 UTC NASA PRIMA telescope mission development
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