Pandora Mission

{{Short description|NASA mission to study exoplanet atmospheres}}

{{Infobox spaceflight

| name = Pandora

| names_list =

| image = An artist’s concept of the Pandora mission, seen here without the thermal blanketing.jpg

| image_caption = Artist's concept of Pandora observing an exoplanet

| image_size =

| mission_type = Astrophysics

| operator = NASA

| COSPAR_ID =

| SATCAT =

| website = https://smallsat.wff.nasa.gov/missions/pandora.php

| mission_duration = 12 months (planned)

| spacecraft =

| spacecraft_type =

| spacecraft_bus =

| manufacturer = Blue Canyon Technologies, Lawrence Livermore National Laboratory

| launch_mass = {{cvt|325|kg}}

| dimensions =

| power =

| launch_date = Fall 2025

| launch_rocket = Falcon 9 Block 5

| launch_site =

| launch_contractor = SpaceX

| orbit_reference = Geocentric orbit

| orbit_regime = Sun-synchronous, low Earth orbit

| orbit_altitude =

| orbit_inclination =

| orbit_period =

| apsis = gee

| instrument_type = telescope

| telescope_diameter = {{cvt|45|cm}}

| telescope_area =

| telescope_wavelength = Near-infrared

| telescope_resolution =

| instruments = Cassegrain telescope

| trans_band =

| trans_frequency =

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| trans_capacity =

| insignia =

| insignia_caption =

| insignia_size = 200px

| programme = Pioneers Program

| previous_mission =

| next_mission =

}}

Pandora is a small satellite, one of three orbital missions approved by NASA to pass to the next development phase in NASA's Astrophysics Pioneers program.{{Cite web |last=Center |first=NASA's Goddard Space Flight |title=Pandora mission would expand NASA's capabilities in probing alien worlds |url=https://phys.org/news/2021-03-pandora-mission-nasa-capabilities-probing.html |access-date=13 November 2021 |website=phys.org |language=en}}{{Cite web |title=Astrophysics Pioneers {{!}} Science Mission Directorate |url=https://science.nasa.gov/astrophysics/programs/astrophysics-pioneers |access-date=17 November 2022 |website=science.nasa.gov}}{{Cite web |date=24 March 2021 |title=Probing Alien Worlds: NASA's Pandora Mission Builds on UArizona Research |url=https://news.arizona.edu/story/probing-alien-worlds-nasas-pandora-mission-builds-uarizona-research |access-date=17 November 2022 |website=University of Arizona News |language=en}} The budget for each mission was $20 million.{{Cite web |last=Tomaswick |first=Andy |date=26 January 2021 |title=NASA has Chosen 4 new Pioneer Missions: Aspera, Pandora, StarBurst, and PEUO |url=https://www.universetoday.com/149824/nasa-has-chosen-4-new-pioneer-missions-aspera-pandora-starburst-and-peuo/ |access-date=20 December 2022 |website=Universe Today |language=en}}

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.{{Cite web |title=Pandora mission to study stars and exoplanets continues toward flight |url=https://www.llnl.gov/news/pandora-mission-study-stars-and-exoplanets-continues-toward-flight |access-date=17 November 2022 |website=llnl.gov |language=en}}

The satellite will have sensitivity to identify exoplanets with hydrogen or water present in their atmospheres, as well as what exoplanets are covered by clouds or hazes.{{Cite conference |last1=Gilbert |first1=E. |last2=Quintana |first2=E. |last3=Dotson |first3=J. |last4=Colon |first4=K. |last5=Pandora Team |date=1 June 2021 |title=The Pandora SmallSat Mission |url=https://ui.adsabs.harvard.edu/abs/2021AAS...23830903G |volume=53 |page=309.03 |conference=American Astronomical Society meeting #238 |bibcode=2021AAS...23830903G}} 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.{{Cite web |title=The Pandora SmallSat - Multiwavelength Characterization of Exoplanets and their Host Stars - Astrobiology |url=http://astrobiology.com/2021/08/the-pandora-smallsat-multiwavelength-characterization-of-exoplanets-and-their-host-stars.html |access-date=13 November 2021 |website=astrobiology.com |date=17 August 2021}}{{Cite web |last=Talbert |first=Tricia |date=6 January 2021 |title=NASA Selects 4 Concepts for Small Missions to Study Universe's Secrets |url=http://www.nasa.gov/feature/nasa-selects-4-concepts-for-small-missions-to-study-universe-s-secrets |access-date=6 December 2022 |website=NASA}}