SpaceX prepares to launch a NASA satellite to study exoplanet atmospheres

On Sunday, January 11, SpaceX will launch a Falcon 9 rocket with a new NASA scientific satellite onboard Pandora. Its goal is to expand the understanding of exoplanet atmospheres and separate stellar signals from planetary signals. The launch is scheduled from Vandenberg Space Force Base in California. The launch window will last 57 minutes and open at 8:19 AM Eastern Time (1:19 PM GMT and 5:19 AM local California time).

What is known

The Pandora satellite weighs 325 kg and is equipped with a 45-centimeter telescope. During its year-long mission, it will observe at least 20 known exoplanets. The transit method, where a planet passes in front of its star and reduces its brightness, will be used for this. This approach allows not only to detect the presence of a planet but also to study its atmosphere.

However, stars are not ideal light sources. Their surfaces have inhomogeneities, such as spots or bright areas, that distort spectra. Pandora was developed specifically to "untangle" these signals. The satellite will simultaneously record the star's brightness in the visible range and collect infrared data, allowing for the separation of stellar activity influences from the characteristics of the planet's atmosphere.

NASA notes that Pandora will focus on planets with water or hydrogen atmospheres. Such environments are considered promising in terms of potential habitability.

Along with Pandora, about 40 other satellites will fly on the Falcon 9 rocket as part of the Twilight mission. Among them are 10 Aether devices from Kepler Communications and two new Acadia radar satellites from Capella Space. Previously, SpaceX has conducted 15 similar launches in the Transporter series and four as part of the Bandwagon program.

The current mission will be the fifth launch for this Falcon 9 first stage. If all goes as planned, it will perform a controlled landing near the launch site approximately 8.5 minutes after launch.