- NASA has moved the PRIMA far-infrared space telescope into Phase B development
- NASA would cap PRIMA’s project cost at $1.2 billion if the mission clears its confirmation review
- NASA’s Jet Propulsion Laboratory will manage PRIMA, which the agency targets for a 2033 launch
NASA has selected the PRobe far-Infrared Mission for Astrophysics, or PRIMA, to advance into Phase B development, the agency said Wednesday. The space telescope is the first mission in Probe Explorers, a new class of astrophysics missions within NASA’s Explorers Program. NASA is targeting a 2033 launch for a planned five-year mission.
What Is NASA’s PRIMA Telescope Designed to Study?
PRIMA will use a 5.9-foot telescope to conduct deep, sensitive surveys in far-infrared light and bridge the gap between radio telescopes and existing infrared observatories like the James Webb Space Telescope. The mission will study the origins of planets outside the solar system, the growth of galaxies and their black holes and the buildup of dust and heavy elements over cosmic history.
Nicky Fox, associate administrator of NASA’s Science Mission Directorate, noted that PRIMA will help scientists understand how planets, stars, black holes and Earth’s water formed.
Shawn Domagal-Goldman, director of NASA’s Astrophysics Division, stated that the mission will extend the agency’s fleet survey capabilities and maintain the momentum of flagship missions set by Webb and Roman.
What Comes Next for PRIMA’s Development?
NASA selected PRIMA after evaluating Probe Explorer concept studies on their scientific merit, the feasibility of their cost and schedule plans and their use of technologies that could support future large missions. The National Academies of Sciences, Engineering and Medicine recommended creating the mission class in its 2020 Decadal Survey.
Phase B advances preliminary design and technology development, and a confirmation review of technical, programmatic and cost performance will determine whether the mission is ready for Phase C implementation.
If PRIMA clears that review, NASA will cap its project cost at $1.2 billion, excluding launch and other non-project costs.
Who Will Manage and Support the PRIMA Mission?
NASA’s Jet Propulsion Laboratory in southern California will manage PRIMA, with Goddard Space Flight Center in Greenbelt, Maryland, and Marshall Space Flight Center in Huntsville, Alabama, serving as partners. International contributors include space organizations from France, Italy, Germany, Canada, Japan and the United Kingdom, along with the Korea Astronomy and Space Science Institute and the Korea AeroSpace Administration. Goddard manages the Explorers Program, NASA’s oldest continuous program, which has launched more than 100 missions since Explorer 1 in 1958.
