Pandora
ActiveLaunched in 2026·Low Earth orbit
A small satellite launched in 2026 to disentangle exoplanet-atmosphere signals from their host star's, observing both at once.
Main objectives
- Separate the atmospheric signal from the star’s.
- Study at least 20 exoplanets over one year.
- Prepare characterization by JWST and Ariel.
Did you know?
Pandora watches the planet and its star simultaneously with a single telescope, to subtract stellar noise from the planetary signal.
Timeline
Jan 11, 2026
Launch
Falcon 9 lift-off from Vandenberg with the BlackCAT and SPARCS CubeSats.
Feb 01, 2026
Science begins
One-year science phase on at least 20 exoplanets.
Pandora
Instruments
[01]Specifications
Mass
Orbit
Launch
Discoveries
[02]- MilestoneMajorPandora reaches orbitJan 11, 2026NASA/Pandora ↗
- MilestoneNotableScience beginsFeb 01, 2026
Mission milestones
[01]- MilestoneLaunchJan 11, 2026