Pandora Mission Explained

The Pandora Mission, Pandora SmallSat, or Pandora, is a small satellite mission known as SmallSat, one of three orbital missions approved by NASA to pass to the next development phase in NASA's Astrophysics Pioneers program.^{[1] [2] [3]} The budget for each mission was $20 million.^[4]

The mission is intended to determine atmospheric compositions by observing exoplanets and their host stars at the same time in both visible and infrared light over long periods of time.^[5]

The satellite will have sensitivity to identify exoplanets with hydrogen or water in present in their atmospheres, as well was what exoplanets are covered by clouds or hazes.^[6] Pandora will observe 20 stars and their 39 exoplanets with sizes that range from Earth-size to Jupiter-size, and host stars ranging from mid-K to late-M spectral types.^{[7] [8]}

Notes and References

1. Web site: Center. NASA's Goddard Space Flight. Pandora mission would expand NASA's capabilities in probing alien worlds. 2021-11-13. phys.org. en.
2. Web site: Astrophysics Pioneers Science Mission Directorate . 2022-11-17 . science.nasa.gov.
3. Web site: 2021-03-24 . Probing Alien Worlds: NASA's Pandora Mission Builds on UArizona Research . 2022-11-17 . University of Arizona News . en.
4. Web site: Tomaswick . Andy . 2021-01-26 . NASA has Chosen 4 new Pioneer Missions: Aspera, Pandora, StarBurst, and PEUO . 2022-12-20 . Universe Today . en-US.
5. Web site: Pandora mission to study stars and exoplanets continues toward flight . 2022-11-17 . www.llnl.gov . en.
6. Gilbert. E.. Quintana. E.. Dotson. J.. Colon. K.. Pandora Team. 2021-06-01. The Pandora SmallSat Mission. 53. 309.03 . American Astronomical Society meeting #238 . 2021AAS...23830903G .
7. Web site: The Pandora SmallSat: Multiwavelength Characterization of Exoplanets and their Host Stars - Astrobiology. 2021-11-13. astrobiology.com. 17 August 2021 .
8. Web site: Talbert . Tricia . 2021-01-06 . NASA Selects 4 Concepts for Small Missions to Study Universe's Secrets . 2022-12-06 . NASA.