Scientists release Pandora mission's first engineering images
Updated
Updated · Universe Today · May 6
Scientists release Pandora mission's first engineering images
10 articles · Updated · Universe Today · May 6
The images, transmitted on 19 January eight days after launch from Vandenberg, are the first from a NASA Astrophysics Pioneers Program mission and confirm instrument functionality.
Visible and near-infrared instruments, including a repurposed backup of JWST's NIRCam, showed stable pointing and cooling to 110 Kelvin during commissioning.
After commissioning, Pandora will begin at least a year of observations of 20 known transiting exoplanets, aiming to separate stellar noise from signs of water and hydrogen-rich atmospheres.
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Engineering Breakthrough Enables Pandora’s Long-Duration Monitoring of 20 Exoplanets to Complement JWST
Overview
On January 19, 2026, Pandora transmitted its first engineering images from low-Earth orbit, confirming the functionality of its instruments and achieving sub-millimeter pointing stability, enabled by its Sun-synchronous orbit and a precise commercial satellite bus. Engineers successfully mitigated cryo-cooler vibrations to maintain this stability, which is crucial for Pandora's unique ability to disentangle stellar noise from exoplanet atmospheric signals. With commissioning complete, Pandora has begun its primary science mission, conducting simultaneous visible and near-infrared observations of about 20 exoplanet systems. Its data not only improves atmospheric studies but also helps prioritize targets for the James Webb Space Telescope, while providing open access and engaging early-career scientists.