Written by Marcy Harbut
Lunar Trailblazer and SPHEREx are two NASA satellites scheduled for back-to-back launches the week of February 24!
IPAC is an integral partner for both missions, providing both support for the science teams and the science community.
The SPHEREx Science Data Center at IPAC will perform scientific data processing and analysis. Data releases to the science user community and archiving will be carried out through the NASA/IPAC Infrared Science Archive (IRSA).
IPAC also leads the Mission Operation System effort for Lunar Trailblazer and is home to the Mission Operations center.
It’s an exciting week for IPAC and for the science community. We hope you’ll join us online in watching these two exciting missions begin their voyages of scientific discovery!
Lunar Trailblazer (LTB) will enable a better understanding of the Moon’s water and geology by determining the form, abundance, and distribution of water across the lunar surface.
Pre-launch:
Learn more about the mission: IPAC Mission News, Caltech’s site & NASA Factsheet
Tuesday, Feb. 25, 8 a.m. PT / 11 a.m. ET: Lunar science and technology media teleconference featuring Principal Investigator Bethany Ehlmann of Caltech!
Check out the predicted launch trajectory in NASA’s Eyes on the Solar System app (search for Lunar Trailblazer): https://eyes.nasa.gov/apps/solar-system/#/home
Follow and engage on social media: @LunarTrailblazr on X and @CaltechIPAC on X.
Liftoff:
Post-launch:
Get Mission Updates on Caltech’s Lunar Trailblazer website
Check NASA’s Lunar Trailblazer blog
Follow and engage on social media: @LunarTrailblazr on X and @CaltechIPAC on X.
Check out the LTB mission image gallery
The SPHEREx (Spectro-Photometer for the History of the Universe, Epoch of Reionization and Ices Explorer) mission will improve our understanding of how the universe evolved and search for key ingredients for life in our galaxy.
Pre-launch:
Watch this Dimensions of IPAC video about SPHEREx
Browse past media releases about SPHEREx
Tuesday, Feb. 25, 11 a.m. PT / 2 p.m. ET: Science Overview News Conference on NASA+
Thursday, Feb. 27, 12:30 p.m. PT / 3:30 p.m. ET: Pre-Launch News Conference on NASA+
Follow the countdown coverage on the SPHEREx blog
Follow and engage on social media: @CaltechIPAC on X, @NASAJPL on X, @NASAUniverse on X, and @NASAKennedy, and @NASALSP (NASA Launch Services Program) on X
February 28 / Liftoff:
9 a.m. PT / Noon ET: Launch preview live stream on NASA+
6:15 p.m. PT / 9:15 p.m. ET: Live launch coverage begins on NASA+ and the agency’s YouTube channel
Post-launch:
Get updates on the SPHEREx blog
Check out the SPHEREx mission image gallery