Bangalore – VIAVI Solutions has announced its contribution to NASA’s Spectro-Photometer for the History of the Universe, Epoch of Reionization, and Ices Explorer (SPHEREx) mission, which launched on March 11, 2025. A groundbreaking endeavor led by NASA’s Jet Propulsion Laboratory (JPL) and the California Institute of Technology (Caltech), the mission will conduct the first all-sky spectral survey in the near-infrared range.
By capturing the cosmos in 102 distinct infrared color bands, SPHEREx will map hundreds of millions of galaxies and over 100 million stars, providing unprecedented insights into cosmic inflation, galaxy evolution and the origins of water and organic molecules in planetary systems. The data gathered by SPHEREx will enable researchers worldwide to delve deeper into the mysteries of cosmic inflation and the chemical pathways that have led to the emergence of life.
VIAVI’s state-of-the-art optical components contribute to the SPHEREx spectrometer’s ability to capture and analyze the faintest infrared signals, which is critical in developing a comprehensive spectral map. Matched with six precision 2k x 2k detectors, VIAVI’s Linear Variable Filters split the wavelengths of light from 0.75-5.0µm. In addition, VIAVI’s dichroic beamsplitter reflects 0.75-2.6µm, transmits 2.6-5.0µm, and divides the incoming light to the two detector banks.
“Today marks a monumental milestone for our entire team at VIAVI,” said Luke Scrivanich, Senior Vice President and General Manager, Optical Security and Performance, VIAVI. “We collaborated with JPL and Caltech engineers, overcame technical challenges, and pushed the boundaries of excellence for our precision optical filters. Congratulations to the NASA, JPL, and Caltech teams.”
The SPHEREx spectrophotometer design builds on VIAVI’s contributions to previous space missions that include Linear Variable Filter technology, including the LEISA instrument on New Horizons that captured spectral images of Jupiter and Pluto, the OVIRS instrument for OSIRIS-REx which explored the surface of the asteroid Bennu, and the MISE instrument on Europa Clipper which will map the surface ice on Jupiter’s moon Europa.
