NASA announced on October 27, 2026, its commitment to launch the Caltech-led Ultraviolet Explorer (UVEX) mission by 2031 to create the first deep ultraviolet all-sky maps. The space observatory will study dynamic cosmic phenomena and identify millions of tiny galaxies.
Mission Objectives
The Ultraviolet Explorer (UVEX) mission will make the first deep all-sky maps in ultraviolet light and identify millions of tiny galaxies. Led by Caltech and managed by the UC Berkeley Space Sciences Laboratory, the telescope is designed to catch the ultraviolet glow of stars, galaxies, and powerful cosmic blasts.
The space telescope will rapidly pivot across the sky to observe events like supernovae and collisions between dense stellar remnants known as neutron stars. UVEX follows in the legacy of NASA's Galaxy Evolution Explorer (GALEX), adding a dedicated time-domain capability while being up to 100 times more sensitive than its predecessor.
Partners and Technology
Northrop Grumman will build the spacecraft, while NASA's Jet Propulsion Laboratory (JPL) will provide key aspects of the detector technology. Caltech's IPAC data center will process and archive the mission's data.
The mission's sensitivity increase comes in part from silicon-based ultraviolet detectors to be built jointly by Caltech, SRI International, and JPL. These detectors are modified versions of CMOS imaging technology invented at JPL in the 1990s.
Key facts and where they come from
- NASA announced its commitment to launch the UVEX mission by 2031.
Today, NASA has announced its commitment to launch, by 2031, the Caltech-led Ultraviolet Explorer (UVEX) mission
- Northrop Grumman will build the UVEX spacecraft.
Northrop Grumman will build the spacecraft.
- The mission is led by Fiona Harrison of Caltech and managed by the UC Berkeley Space Sciences Laboratory.
UVEX is led by Caltech's Fiona Harrison, the mission's principal investigator and the Harold A. Rosen Professor of Physics, and it is managed by the UC Berkeley Space Sciences Laboratory.
