NASA's PUNCH and SPHEREx Missions Set to Map the Cosmos, Artemis IV to Reside in Gateway, and Lucy Prepares for Asteroid Flyby

NASA is preparing for the launch of the PUNCH and SPHEREx missions aboard a SpaceX Falcon 9 rocket. PUNCH, comprising four satellites, will create 3D views of the sun's outer atmosphere using polarized light. SPHEREx will capture wide-angle images of the entire night sky in infrared, aiding in understanding cosmic inflation, galaxy evolution, and the origins of water. Separately, astronauts aboard Artemis IV will be the first to reside in Gateway, a lunar space station constructed by Maxar Space Systems, facilitating lunar and Martian exploration. The Power and Propulsion Element, a key component, is nearing completion. Furthermore, the Lucy spacecraft is set for a close flyby of asteroid Donaldjohanson on April 20, serving as a rehearsal for its Jupiter Trojan asteroid mission. Lucy successfully observed asteroid Dinkinesh in November 2023.