NASA’s SPHEREx telescope begins ambitious 3d mapping of the entire sky

NASA’s new space telescope, SPHEREx (Spectro-Photometer for the History of the Universe, Epoch of Reionization and Ices Explorer), has officially begun its mission to map the entire sky in 3D, aiming to deepen our understanding of the early universe and the potential for life beyond Earth.

Launched in early March 2025, SPHEREx commenced its observational campaign this past week following over a month of post-launch setup and system checks. According to NASA, the telescope will capture approximately 3,600 images daily as it completes about 14.5 orbits of Earth per day. The observatory is set to observe the sky in 102 wavelengths of infrared light — a feat unmatched by previous missions — which will ultimately be stitched together into four complete all-sky maps over the course of its 25-month mission.

NASA describes SPHEREx’s scanning method as orbiting Earth from pole to pole, imaging a circular strip of the sky each day. As Earth moves in its orbit around the Sun, the telescope’s field of view gradually shifts, enabling it to survey the entire celestial sphere within six months.

Researchers will use SPHEREx data to study the expansion of the universe shortly after the Big Bang and to investigate the presence of life-sustaining elements across the Milky Way. The mission represents a major step forward in cosmic exploration and is expected to yield groundbreaking insights into both the origins of the universe and the search for life beyond Earth.