NASA has greenlit the Probe far-Infrared Mission for Astrophysics, known as PRIMA, to advance into Phase B development. Slated to launch in 2033 with a project cost capped at $1.2 billion, the space telescope aims to explore the deep universe and bridge the gap between infrared and radio observatories.
NASA’s Astrophysics Division is advancing a new space telescope designed to examine cosmic history and the evolution of the universe. The mission, called PRIMA (Probe far-Infrared Mission for Astrophysics), represents the first project within a new class of NASA astrophysics missions known as Probe Explorers, housed under the broader Explorers Program.
Moving into Phase B means the mission can proceed with preliminary design refinement and technology development. Officials noted that the project is subject to a confirmation review that evaluates technical, programmatic, and cost performance before implementation begins in Phase C. If confirmed during that review, the project cost for PRIMA is capped at $1.2 billion, which excludes launch expenses and other non-project costs.
Instruments, Detectors, and Scientific Targets
Equipped with a 5.9-foot (1.8-meter) cryogenically cooled telescope, PRIMA will survey the universe using far-infrared light. The observatory carries three primary instruments: an imaging polarimeter known as PRIMAger and a high-resolution spectrometer designated as FIRESS. These instruments rely on specialized detectors developed through three decades of research by teams at Caltech and the Jet Propulsion Laboratory.
By probing wavelengths that typically remain hidden, the telescope seeks to answer fundamental questions about cosmic evolution. The PRIMA mission is humanity’s next window into the deep universe,
said Nicky Fox, associate administrator for the Science Mission Directorate at NASA Headquarters, adding that 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.
PRIMA represents a giant leap for far-infrared astronomy. By combining detector technology pioneered by our colleagues with deep scientific expertise across Caltech, JPL, and IPAC, PRIMA will help reveal fundamental cosmic processes that have long been hidden from view.
Ray Jayawardhana, Caltech President
Institutional Leadership and International Partnerships
Management of the PRIMA mission falls to NASA’s Jet Propulsion Laboratory in Southern California, working alongside NASA’s Goddard Space Flight Center and Marshall Space Flight Center. Meanwhile, the California Institute of Technology’s Infrared Processing and Analysis Center will function as the mission science center where raw data from the telescope is received, processed, and archived for use by astronomers seeking to answer some of the universe’s deepest mysteries.
The project also relies heavily on international collaboration.
- Centre National D’Etudes Spatiales (CNES) in France
- Agenzia Spaziale Italiana (ASI) in Italy
- Deutsches Zentrum für Luft- und Raumfahrt (DLR) in Germany
- Canadian Space Agency (CSA)
- Korea Astronomy and Space Science Institute (KASI) and Korea AeroSpace Administration (KASA)
- Japan Aerospace Exploration Agency (JAXA)
- The UK Space Agency
Budget Controls and Flagship Comparisons
Early cost estimates for the proposed Habitable Worlds Observatory sit at approximately $11 billion, roughly matching the final price tag of the James Webb Space Telescope after it exceeded its original projections.
During a meeting of the National Academies’ Committee on Astronomy and Astrophysics, Shawn Domagal-Goldman, director of the Astrophysics Division at NASA Headquarters, emphasized that future flagships will demand broad collaboration. This is a sufficiently ambitious observatory where it’s going to require an all-of-nation [approach],
Domagal-Goldman told the committee, pointing to contributions needed from NASA centers, commercial partners, universities, and international allies.
Domagal-Goldman highlighted the recent development of the Nancy Grace Roman Space Telescope as proof that major space projects can avoid runaway budgets with the launch of Nancy Grace Roman, ahead of schedule and on budget.
Agency leaders plan to apply those same lessons—establishing clear mission architecture and understanding underlying technologies before building hardware—to keep future missions on track.
Launch Timeline and the Explorers Legacy
PRIMA is scheduled to launch in 2033 for a planned five-year mission, with NASA planning to select a launch provider at a later date. The mission bridges an operational gap between existing infrared observatories like Webb and radio telescopes.
The broader Explorers Program, which is managed by NASA Goddard, holds a history dating back to the 1958 launch of Explorer 1. The continuous program has launched more than 100 missions designed for frequent, low-cost access to space, including landmark projects like Uhuru and the Cosmic Background Explorer that eventually earned Nobel prizes for their investigators.