NASA’s Pandora satellite launches to probe distant exoplanets

January 13, 2026 / 12:44 PM

Sharjah24-WAM: A Falcon 9 rocket carrying around 40 payloads, including NASA’s Pandora exoplanet satellite, was successfully launched on 11 January from Vandenberg Space Force Base. The mission was conducted aboard a rocket operated by SpaceX, marking another step forward in space-based astronomy and exoplanet research led by NASA.

Pandora, weighing approximately 325 kilograms, will spend one year in orbit studying at least 20 known exoplanets. Using a 45-centimetre-wide telescope, the satellite will observe these distant worlds as they transit across their host stars. Such transits allow scientists to analyse how starlight filters through planetary atmospheres, helping identify their chemical compositions.

Separating starlight from planetary signals

According to NASA, Pandora will monitor the brightness of host stars in visible light while simultaneously collecting infrared data. This multiwavelength approach will help scientists distinguish stellar activity from planetary atmospheric signals, improving the accuracy of exoplanet characterisation. The mission will focus on planets with atmospheres dominated by water or hydrogen, providing insights into their structure and potential habitability.