SpaceX wins $300 million Pandora satellite launch contract from NASA

SpaceX has won a major contract from NASA to launch the Pandora satellite mission, the total award prices for all launch schedules could reach up to $300 million.

NASA’s Venture-Class Acquisition of Dedicated and Rideshare (VADR) launch service has selected SpaceX for this launch contract. According to the information, the contract enables the space agency to make fixed-price indefinite-delivery, indefinite-quantity awards during VADR’s five-year ordering period.

This mission will study around 20 known exoplanets and their host stars to know more about their appearances and how this shift impacts the observation of exoplanet atmospheres.

Pandora aims to conduct 10 observations per exoplanet during its one-year primary mission. Each visit will allow 24 hours of observation.

Source – NASA

Through these observations, scientists will gather important data about the planet and its host star during transits. This event shows a planet crossing in front of the star it orbits.

The Pandora satellite is equipped with a 17-inch (45-centimeter) wide aluminum telescope to measure the visible and near-infrared brightest of the host star and capture near-infrared spectra of the moving planet in front.

The data obtained will allow scientists to separate the star and the planetary signals, and reach a conclusion on the related research.

The satellite was developed by NASA’s Goddard Space Flight Center in Greenbelt, Maryland, and Lawrence Livermore National Laboratory in California. The project funding was provided by the Astrophysics Pioneers program from the Astrophysics Division at NASA headquarters in Washington.

Other than Pandora, Astrophysics also funds other scientific missions using smaller, low-cost hardware and payloads.

Currently, NASA or SpaceX has not announced the Pandora satellite mission launch date or the vehicle that will be used to lift it off to space.

(source)