Setting sights far beyond the current frontiers of astronomical research, University of Massachusetts Amherst's very own Professor Alexandra Pope is at the helm of an ambitious proposal, selected by NASA, to develop cutting-edge space satellite missions. Tasked with bridging significant knowledge gaps in our understanding of the cosmos's evolution, the $5 million proposal aims to change the way we observe the universe. The PRIMA (Probe far-Infrared Mission for Astrophysics), a mission that Pope's team is investing their minds in, targets an unexplored wavelength spectrum between the well-studied ranges of existing telescopes.
Pope's leadership role in this scientific endeavor, as reported by UMass News, involves overseeing the research questions and the design of instruments crucial to the mission's success. "One of the things that is so exciting about PRIMA is that it is going to fill in the gap between the James Webb Space Telescope (JWST), and the Alma Large Millimeter Array, or ALMA, in Chile," Pope told UMass News. Astoundingly, there are currently no telescopes available that can observe the wavelength range from 28 to 300 microns. PRIMA proposes to broach this vast and uncharted territory.
Pope's team, collaborating with principal investigator Jason Glenn from the Goddard Space Flight Center, has outlined three core scientific inquiries for PRIMA. They aim to unravel the mysteries of planet atmosphere formation and the elusive journey of water in planet-forming disks. Furthermore, their research focuses on the co-evolution of supermassive black holes and galaxies, as well as the cosmic creation of complex elements beyond the fundamental helium and hydrogen that emerged from the Big Bang. Their method involves utilizing PRIMA’s infrared sensors to survey cosmic dust across different environmental contexts and timelines, providing insights into elemental evolution.
PRIMA's proposal is poised for a critical phase review, with its fate resting upon the selection process slated for 2026. If successful, it'll receive a $1 billion expanse for development as part of NASA’s Explorers Program. This program heralds a new class of astrophysics missions, designated Probe Explorers, envisioned to bridge the size and scale between flagship and smaller missions. Whichever mission concept triumphs will set a precedent for space exploration, with a launch projected for 2032, according to Pope in a statement shared by UMass News.
This potential game-changer for astrophysical inquiry draws upon recommendations from the National Academies of Sciences, Engineering, and Medicine's 2020 Decadal Survey. PRIMA, as one of the two selected mission concepts to fulfill this recommendation, stands as a testament to the scientific community’s determined pursuit of knowledge. As NASA's Nicole Fox articulated, the establishment of the Probe Explorers is a response to the top astrophysics priorities of the decade and is expected to foster a wealth of community research opportunities for further exploration of our enigmatic universe.
