'Infrared secrets unlocked': NASA's Pandora mission takes James Webb’s work to the next level
Produced by: Mohsin Shaikh
Milestone achieved
NASA’s Pandora spacecraft bus is complete, housing the systems for power, navigation, and data—essential for its groundbreaking exoplanet mission, as shared by principal investigator Elisa Quintana.
Credit: NASA’s Goddard Space Flight Center/Conceptual Image Lab
Atmospheric focus
Pandora will study at least 20 exoplanets to analyze atmospheric composition, focusing on detecting water, clouds, and hazes—key indicators of potential habitability.
Water’s role
NASA’s Ben Hord emphasized Pandora’s ability to distinguish between star light and water signals in exoplanet atmospheres, a critical step toward confirming habitability.
Infrared advantage
Equipped with a near-infrared detector originally developed for the James Webb Telescope, Pandora refines the analysis of exoplanet atmospheres, complementing Webb’s capabilities.
Transit insights
Pandora observes exoplanetary transits—when a planet crosses its star—capturing the chemical fingerprints of atmospheric substances for deeper analysis.
Star signals
The mission will separate stellar and planetary signals, overcoming challenges posed by stellar surface irregularities like faculae and sunspots that distort measurements.
Credit: NASA
Unique telescope
Its 45-centimeter-wide aluminum telescope, co-developed by Lawrence Livermore National Laboratory and Corning, allows simultaneous visible and near-infrared spectrum analysis.
Credit: LLNL, NASA’s Goddard Space Flight Center
Extended observation
Pandora’s ability to continuously monitor targets for 24 hours per observation surpasses larger flagship missions, offering unique insights into exoplanetary atmospheres.
Collaborative effort
Led by NASA’s Goddard Space Flight Center, Pandora involves contributions from Blue Canyon Technologies, Corning, and universities nationwide, showcasing broad expertise.