Pandora (spacecraft)

Pandora is a small satellite, intended to determine atmospheric compositions of exoplanets by observing them and their host stars at the same time in both visible and infrared light over long periods of time.^[1][2]

Pandora's primary science goal is to understand stellar activity and the composition of exoplanet atmospheres, and to help astronomers correct for stellar contamination in the spectra of transiting exoplanets. The satellite will have sensitivity to identify exoplanets with hydrogen or water present in their atmospheres, as well as what exoplanets are covered by clouds or hazes.^[3] Pandora will observe 20 stars and their 39 exoplanets with sizes that range from Earth-size to Jupiter-size, and host stars ranging from mid-K to late-M spectral types.^[4][5]

Pandora includes an all-aluminum Cassegrain telescope (no glass optics) with a 45 centimeter aperture. The telescope pointing accuracy is better than 3 arcseconds over a 60 second period. The infrared detector is maintained by a cryo-refrigerator at a temperature of 130 Kelvin with a stability of 10 millikelvins. The spectral resolution of the infrared detector is greater than 30.^[6]

Goddard Space Flight Center provides the infrared and visible light detectors. Lawrence Livermore National Laboratory supplies the CODA telescope, along with the readout electronics and thermal control system, while Blue Canyon Technologies provides the platform. Blue Canyon also performs integration and vacuum simulation testing. The University of Arizona provides mission operations.^[7][8]

Pandora is one of three orbital missions approved by NASA to pass to the next development phase in NASA's Astrophysics Pioneers program.^[1][9][10] The budget for each mission was $20 million.^[11]

The spacecraft bus completed construction in January 2025 and its launch was scheduled for late 2025 on a SpaceX Falcon 9,^[12][13] possibly on a Transporter rideshare mission.^[14][15][16] The launch was later moved to early 2026.^[17]