Universe Today
On September 23rd, NASA announced its first selection in a new class of astrophysics missions called Probe Explorers. As part of its commitment to studying the history and evolution of the Universe, NASA's proposed PRobe far-Infrared Mission for Astrophysics (PRIMA) has advanced to the next phase of development. This mission and the new program will operate within the agency’s Explorers Program, the oldest continuous NASA program specializing in astrophysics and heliophysics missions.
The new mission class was established based on the recommendations of the NASEM 2020 Decadal Survey, titled "Pathways to Discovery in Astronomy and Astrophysics for the 2020s" (Astro2020). NASA selected PRIMA for development after a detailed evaluation of concept studies, based on alignment with the Decadal Survey's science goals, cost and schedule, and the use of technologies that could support future larger missions.
PRIMA's design calls for an observatory equipped with a 1.8-meter (5.9-foot) telescope to conduct deep, sensitive surveys in the far-infrared (FIR) wavelength. This will build on the work of the ESA's Herschel Observatory, which operated from 2009 to 2013, and bridge the gap between near- and mid-infrared (NIR and MIR) observatories, like the James Webb Space Telescope (JWST), and radio telescopes. By studying objects visible in this wavelength range, PRIMA will address some of the greatest mysteries of the Universe.
Far-infrared image of the Andromeda galaxy from the ESA's Herschel Space Observatory. Credit: ESA/NASA/JPL-Caltech/B. Schulz (NHSC)
These include planet formation beyond the Solar System, how galaxies and their supermassive black holes (SMBHs) have grown and evolved, and how dust and heavy elements have accumulated with cosmic time. These studies will improve our understanding of how the Universe came to look the way it does today. Shawn Domagal-Goldman, the director of the Astrophysics Division at NASA Headquarters, explained in a NASA press release:
A single mission alone can’t probe all the universe’s mysteries. But by extending the survey capabilities of our fleet into far-infrared wavelengths with PRIMA, we’re enabling an incredibly comprehensive look at the cosmos. With our Webb and Roman space telescopes, we set a cadence of launching premiere-class missions in both halves of the decade. We’re going to keep that up and kick off the next decade with PRIMA, as part of a pipeline that will consistently have missions of this caliber ready to go.
PRIMA is now moving into Phase B development, advancing the spacecraft's preliminary design and technology development. Pending a confirmation review to assess the mission's capabilities, cost-effectiveness, and readiness, PRIMA will progress to Phase C, where the price will be capped at $1.2 billion (not including launch and other related costs). Pending completion of all development phases, the observatory will have a target launch date of 2033. NASA’s Jet Propulsion Laboratory will manage PRIMA in partnership with the Goddard Space Flight Center and the Marshall Space Flight Center.
Artist's impression of the Herschel Space Telescope. Credit: ESA/AOES Medialab/NASA/ESA/STScI
The mission will also involve international partners, with contributions from the UK Space Agency, the Centre National D’Etudes Spatiales (CNES), the Agenzia Spaziale Italiana (ASI), the Deutsches Zentrum für Luft- und Raumfahrt (DLR), the Canadian Space Agency (CSA), the Korea Astronomy and Space Science Institute (KASI), the Korea AeroSpace Administration (KASA), and the Japan Aerospace Exploration Agency (JAXA).
"The PRIMA mission is humanity’s next window into the deep universe," said Nicky Fox, the associate administrator of NASA's Science Mission Directorate. "It will unveil the obscure across cosmic time to better understand the formation of planets, stars, black holes, and even how water on Earth came to be."
Further Reading: NASA
