NASA advances PRIMA telescope into preliminary design phase

NASA has selected the Probe farInfrared Mission for Astrophysics, or PRIMA, to advance into Phase B, making it the first mission in the agency’s new Probe Explorers class. The move allows work to continue on the telescope’s preliminary design and technology, but does not authorize construction or guarantee that the mission will proceed to implementation. A later confirmation review will assess PRIMA’s technical, programmatic and cost performance to determine whether it is ready to enter Phase C. NASA has said the project cost would be capped at $1.2 billion if the mission is confirmed. That figure excludes the launch and other nonproject costs, and therefore is not a full estimate of the mission’s total expense. NASA is targeting a 2033 launch and plans a five-year mission. Both remain plans rather than completed milestones. The agency has not specified when the confirmation review will take place. Until it makes that decision, PRIMA remains in preliminary development. The far-infrared observatory is designed to conduct deep surveys of the universe, observing wavelengths that are difficult to study with existing infrared and radio telescopes.