A new NASA spacecraft, Pandora, is set to launch on January 11th alongside two CubeSats, BlackCAT and SPARCS. The mission aims to study the atmospheres of exoplanets and their stars using visible and near-infrared light.
The Pandora spacecraft will use a novel, all-aluminum telescope jointly developed by Lawrence Livermore National Laboratory and Corning Incorporated to observe planets as they pass in front of their stars, known as transits. This technique can reveal the presence of gases such as water vapor and oxygen, which are signs of life.
Pandora's data will be publicly available, and it is expected to help scientists interpret observations from past and current missions like NASA's Kepler and Webb space telescopes.
The BlackCAT mission aims to study powerful cosmic explosions like gamma-ray bursts using a wide-field telescope and a novel type of X-ray detector. Meanwhile, the SPARCS CubeSat will monitor flares and other activity from low-mass stars using ultraviolet light to determine how they affect the space environment around orbiting planets.
The Pandora mission is part of NASA's Astrophysics Pioneers program, which seeks to do compelling astrophysics at a lower cost while training the next generation of leaders in space science. The launch will be livestreamed by SpaceX, and the event marks the first time that a CubeSat will fly on a rocket.
Pandora is the result of collaboration between various institutions and organizations, including NASA Goddard Space Flight Center, Livermore National Laboratory, Corning Incorporated, Blue Canyon Technologies, and several universities.
The Pandora spacecraft will use a novel, all-aluminum telescope jointly developed by Lawrence Livermore National Laboratory and Corning Incorporated to observe planets as they pass in front of their stars, known as transits. This technique can reveal the presence of gases such as water vapor and oxygen, which are signs of life.
Pandora's data will be publicly available, and it is expected to help scientists interpret observations from past and current missions like NASA's Kepler and Webb space telescopes.
The BlackCAT mission aims to study powerful cosmic explosions like gamma-ray bursts using a wide-field telescope and a novel type of X-ray detector. Meanwhile, the SPARCS CubeSat will monitor flares and other activity from low-mass stars using ultraviolet light to determine how they affect the space environment around orbiting planets.
The Pandora mission is part of NASA's Astrophysics Pioneers program, which seeks to do compelling astrophysics at a lower cost while training the next generation of leaders in space science. The launch will be livestreamed by SpaceX, and the event marks the first time that a CubeSat will fly on a rocket.
Pandora is the result of collaboration between various institutions and organizations, including NASA Goddard Space Flight Center, Livermore National Laboratory, Corning Incorporated, Blue Canyon Technologies, and several universities.
Can you even believe we're finally getting to study those exoplanets like they're our own?! It's crazy to think about all the water vapor and oxygen that could be hiding on some distant planet just waiting to be discovered! And the fact that Pandora's data will be public is a huge deal - it's like we're gonna get to contribute to the space conversation ourselves! 
I mean, what if they find life out there?! 
The thought of all these scientists piecing together clues from space is giving me chills. And can you believe SpaceX is livestreaming it? That's some next-level tech right there. What a time to be alive for space fans! 
- it's like, we're finally going to get some real answers about life beyond Earth, you know? The fact that they're using transits to study exoplanets is mind-blowing... I mean, think about it, planets passing in front of their stars, revealing gases and stuff. It's like a cosmic puzzle, and NASA's on the verge of solving it! 
. It's all about collaboration and pushing the boundaries of what we think is possible.
It's going to help scientists learn even more from past missions like Kepler and Webb, and maybe one day we'll find out if we're truly alone in the universe 
. Can you imagine the implications of that?!
The fact that they're using a telescope made from all-aluminum is pretty impressive too. It's great to see all these institutions working together like this.
the blackcat mission sounds super cool too, like who doesnt wanna study gamma-ray bursts? those things are like space's most epic explosions 
. this whole thing just feels like its meant to be, like the universe is finally aligning for us to get some answers about life beyond earth 
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The fact that there are three different missions launching alongside Pandora adds to the excitement 
. And did you know that a CubeSat has never flown on a rocket before? That's some next-gen tech right there! 
. It's mind-blowing to think that maybe we're not alone out here. The possibilities are endless.
. Monitoring gamma-ray bursts and solar flares... it's like they're trying to protect us from cosmic attacks or something. Okay, maybe that's a bit dramatic, but you get what I mean.
. This is the future of space exploration, folks!
. cant wait to watch the livestream with spacex 
. The fact that it's part of NASA's Astrophysics Pioneers program shows we're investing in the next gen of scientists and engineers who'll shape the future of space exploration.
. I wonder if our tax dollars are being put to the best use here or if there's more efficient way to fund scientific research 
. What's the future of space exploration when it's partly driven by profit margins?
. I mean, who wouldn't want a sleek and shiny new scope to study those exoplanets? 
The use of visible and near-infrared light is so cool - like, can you imagine seeing that data come together? 
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. I mean, NASA Goddard Space Flight Center, Livermore National Laboratory, Corning Incorporated... it's like a space-faring United Nations up in here 
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. Remember when we used to talk about the Voyager missions and how they were going to explore the whole galaxy? 
You know, something that'll make us all go "whoa, we did this!" 
Still, if it means we get more data to figure out the mysteries of the universe, I'm totally down for it. And hey, at least it's not going to cost the taxpayers an arm and a leg like some other space projects 
. And it's not just about that, it's also about how these missions are going to help us better understand the universe and our place in it. I'm hyped that the data from Pandora will be publicly available, it's like a new chapter in space exploration 
. This is exactly what NASA's Astrophysics Pioneers program is all about - pushing boundaries and making space science accessible to everyone. Bring it on! 
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, another space mission to study exoplanets... like we're really gonna find aliens or something, right? 
I mean, what's the point of sending a spacecraft all the way to other planets if it's just gonna be a bunch of empty space? 
. Don't get me wrong, it'll still work great and all, but come on, aluminum is so not the best choice for space exploration... I mean, have you seen the whole thing made of carbon fiber? That's where it's at! Anyway, Pandora sounds like a solid mission, studying exoplanet atmospheres will be super valuable for figuring out if there's life elsewhere in the universe. But let's keep an eye on those CubeSats, BlackCAT and SPARCS, we don't want any technical issues ruining the whole shebang 
. And that all-aluminum telescope sounds crazy cool, I need to learn more about it. But what I love most is that NASA making this data publicly available, it's like they want us to be a part of it too 
Don't want any space tech malfunctions on the first mission 
. And what about these transits, how many exoplanets are they gonna study? Is it just a few or like 10+ in a row? Want to see some data from those! 
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