SPHEREx (Photo- JPL/NASA)
Early in the new year, the Eaton Fire came close to JPL, destroying the homes of more than 200 employees. Despite this, work has continued at full pace to maintain mission operations and keep upcoming missions on track.
By NASA/JPL
Several missions managed by NASA JPL are prepping for launch this year. Many have been in development for years, and while launches are a significant milestone, they are just one part of a much bigger picture. Other important milestones are also on the agenda for the federal laboratory, which is managed by Caltech for NASA.
Here’s a glimpse of what lies ahead in 2025.
Mysterious Universe
Shaped like the bell of a trumpet and about the size of a subcompact car, NASA’s SPHEREx space observatory is aiming for the stars. Officially known as the Spectro-Photometer for the History of the Universe, Epoch of Reionization, and Ices Explorer, the mission will create four 3D maps of the entire sky to enhance humanity’s understanding of the universe — from its expansion after the Big Bang to the potential locations of life’s building blocks in ice grains. Target launch date: no earlier than Feb. 27 from Vandenberg Space Force Base in California.
The Moon’s Icy Secrets
NASA’s Lunar Trailblazer aims to help resolve the longstanding mystery: Where is the Moon’s water? Scientists have detected signs that water may exist even where lunar temperatures soar, with strong evidence suggesting that surface ice could be found in permanently shadowed craters that haven’t seen direct sunlight for billions of years. Managed by NASA JPL and led by Caltech, this small satellite will map the Moon’s surface water in unprecedented detail, determining its abundance, location, form, and how it changes over time. The satellite will launch in late February alongside the Intuitive Machines-2 delivery to the Moon through NASA’s CLPS (Commercial Lunar Payload Services) initiative.
Earth’s Changing Surface
A collaboration between the United States and India, is a major addition to the fleet of satellites studying our changing planet. Short for NASA-Indian Space Research Organisation Synthetic Aperture Radar, the mission’s name is a nesting doll of acronyms, and the spacecraft is a nesting doll of capabilities: The first spacecraft to carry both , it will see surface changes related to volcanoes, earthquakes, ice sheet motion, deforestation, and more in unprecedented detail after it launches in a few months’ time.
A collaboration between the United States and India, NISAR is a major addition to the fleet of satellites studying Earth’s changing surface. Short for NASA-Indian Space Research Organisation Synthetic Aperture Radar, NISAR will be the first spacecraft to carry both L-band and S-band radars, allowing it to capture unprecedented detail on surface changes caused by volcanoes, earthquakes, ice sheet motion, deforestation, and more after its launch in a few months.
Sea Level
Set for a November launch, Sentinel-6B will provide some of the most accurate global sea surface height measurements yet. This data will improve climate models and hurricane tracking, as well as deepen our understanding of phenomena like El Niño. A collaboration between NASA and the European Space Agency (ESA), Sentinel-6B will take over for its twin, Sentinel-6 Michael Freilich, which launched in 2020. Together, the satellites will extend the nearly three-decade-long record of global sea surface height measurements for another 10 years.
Moon Rover Trio
As a technology demonstration, NASA’s CADRE (Cooperative Autonomous Distributed Robotic Exploration) project is another step toward developing robots capable of autonomously boosting the efficiency of future missions. The CADRE team at JPL will soon be shipping three suitcase-size rovers to Texas in preparation for their journey to the Moon aboard a commercial lander via NASA’s future CLPS deliveries. These rovers are designed to work together as a team, taking simultaneous measurements from multiple locations, showing how multirobot missions could enable new science and support astronauts.
Quantum Technology
Arriving at the International Space Station in November, SEAQUE (Space Entanglement and Annealing QUantum Experiment) is testing two technologies that, if successful, could enable communication using entangled photons between two quantum systems. The results of this experiment, set to begin in 2025, could lay the foundation for a future global quantum network, allowing equipment like quantum computers to securely transfer data over long distances.
Gravity Assist to Reach Jupiter
Launched in October, Europa Clipper will arrive at Jupiter in 2030 to investigate whether the ocean beneath the icy surface of Europa, one of Jupiter’s moons, could support life. The spacecraft will travel 1.8 billion miles (2.9 billion kilometers) to its destination. Due to fuel limitations, mission planners have designed Europa Clipper’s path to fly by Mars on March 1, using the planet’s gravity as a slingshot to boost the spacecraft’s speed on its long journey.
This article has been edited for clarity. It was first published in jpl.nasa.gov.
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