The SPHEREx telescope will create the most colorful map of the cosmos, while the four satellites of the PUNCH mission track the evolution of the solar wind in three dimensions.

NASA’s Spherex telescope launched to map the entire sky, studying galaxy formation, cosmic expansion, and the universe’s glow. SpaceX’s mission also carried four satellites to observe the sun’s outer atmosphere.

SPHEREx hopes to solve some of the universe's biggest mysteries, while PUNCH will study the sun’s outer atmosphere, the corona. Here's what to know.

A semi-frontal view of the SPHEREx observatory is seen during integration and testing at BAE Systems in Boulder, Colorado, U.S., in this handout photo obtained by Reuters on February 24, 2025. NASA/JPL-Caltech/Handout via REUTERS THIS IMAGE HAS BEEN SUPPLIED BY A THIRD PARTY (Reuters) - A NASA telescope was launched into space from California on Tuesday for a mission to explore the origins of the universe and to scour the Milky Way galaxy for hidden reservoirs of water,