NASA Green-Lights Billion-Dollar Infrared Telescope for 2033 Launch

NASA has green-lit the development of the PRIMA far-infrared space telescope as the first mission in its new Probe Explorers class, targeting a launch in 2033 with a project cost capped at $1.2 billion if confirmed.

NASA Selects PRIMA as the First Probe Explorer Mission

On Wednesday, NASA announced that PRIMA (PRobe far-Infrared Mission for Astrophysics), a project meant to investigate the universe’s history and evolution, is moving forward to its next development stage. Representing the inaugural undertaking within the agency’s Explorers Program under a newly formed category called Probe Explorers, this space telescope breaks fresh ground for NASA astrophysics.

Agency leadership emphasized the scientific scope of the observatory. The PRIMA mission is humanity’s next window into the deep universe. It will unveil the obscure across cosmic time to better understand the formation of planets, stars, black holes, and even how water on Earth came to be, said Nicky Fox, associate administrator, Science Mission Directorate, NASA Headquarters in Washington.

Budget Caps and Milestone Timeline for the Far-Infrared Observatory

Phase B has now begun for PRIMA, moving the mission into preliminary design work and technology maturation. Before entering Phase C implementation, the project must successfully pass a confirmation review evaluating its cost performance, technical design, and programmatic plans. Should the mission receive confirmation, its total project expenditure will be restricted to a maximum of $1.2 billion, excluding launch services and other expenses outside the core project.

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The observatory will be targeted to launch in 2033, for a planned five-year mission. Equipped with a 5.9-foot aperture, PRIMA will execute thorough far-infrared surveys of the cosmos, serving as a vital bridge connecting radio facilities with existing infrared observatories like NASA’s James Webb Space Telescope.

Bridging the Observational Gap in Modern Astronomy

PRIMA will tackle numerous cosmic mysteries by observing radiant energy that exclusively manifests in far-infrared wavelengths. This investigative scope spans the genesis of extrasolar planets, the developmental timelines of galaxies and their central black holes, and the accumulation of heavy elements and cosmic dust over time, collectively offering clearer insight into the present-day universe.

Photo: Arstechnica

A single mission alone can’t probe all the universe’s mysteries. But by extending the survey capabilities of our fleet into far-infrared wavelengths with PRIMA, we’re enabling an incredibly comprehensive look at the cosmos, said Shawn Domagal-Goldman, director, Astrophysics Division, NASA Headquarters.

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Creation of the Probe Explorers mission category originated from a recommendation in the 2020 Decadal Survey by the National Academies of Sciences, Engineering, and Medicine, titled Pathways to Discovery in Astronomy and Astrophysics for the 2020s. Following thorough assessments of various concept studies—weighing their alignment with Decadal Survey goals, scientific value, schedule and budget feasibility, and potential to advance technologies for future large-scale missions—NASA ultimately chose PRIMA for full development.

International Collaborations and Management Structure

NASA’s Jet Propulsion Laboratory in Southern California will manage the PRIMA mission. Management and technical contributions are also shared by NASA’s Marshall Space Flight Center in Huntsville, Alabama, alongside NASA’s Goddard Space Flight Center located in Greenbelt, Maryland.

Photo: NASA

The PRIMA mission also will have contributions from international partners:

• CNES (Centre National D’Etudes Spatiales)
• ASI (Agenzia Spaziale Italiana)
• DLR (Deutsches Zentrum für Luft- und Raumfahrt)
• CSA (Canadian Space Agency)
• KASI (Korea Astronomy and Space Science Institute)/KASA (Korea AeroSpace Administration)
• JAXA (Japan Aerospace Exploration Agency)
• the UK Space Agency

Applying Flagship Lessons to Future Space Observatories

With projections for the Habitable Worlds Observatory currently hovering near $11 billion, its expected price tag matches that of the Webb telescope, which ultimately exceeded its initial financial projections by a wide margin. Domagal-Goldman stated this week that NASA intends to use lessons learned from keeping the Roman telescope's development and launch on budget to enforce stricter financial boundaries on forthcoming flagship endeavors like HWO. Liftoff for the US$4.3-billion Nancy Grace Roman Space Telescope occurred at 7.35 a.m. local time aboard a SpaceX rocket departing from NASA’s Kennedy Space Center in Florida, setting it on course for its operating destination.

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We have proven with the launch of Nancy Grace Roman, ahead of schedule and on budget, that it is not a law of nature that these projects will go over schedule and over budget, he said.