NASA satellite Pandora will distinguish exoplanet atmospheres from starlight.

Pandora launched on January 11 and will observe exoplanets and their host stars to determine whether detected molecules originate in planetary atmospheres or in starlight.

NASA's Pandora satellite launched on January 11. The mission will study worlds beyond our solar system and focus on where spectral signals originate. Scientists have sometimes found molecules in exoplanet observations but could not always tell whether those signals came from the planet or from its host star. Pandora is designed to separate those contributions by making repeated, long observations of planets and their stars. Key details: - Pandora carries a 17-inch all-aluminum telescope that collects visible and near-infrared light. - The mission will observe each planet and its host star about 10 times, with each observation lasting 24 hours and capturing starlight before and during transits. - In its first year, Pandora will study at least 20 exoplanets and their host stars. - Pandora launched on a SpaceX Falcon 9 alongside BlackCAT and SPARCS; BlackCAT will study transient high-energy sources and SPARCS will study activity in low-mass stars. Summary: Pandora's repeated, long transit observations are intended to help scientists determine which spectral signals come from an exoplanet's atmosphere and which are influenced by the host star. The mission will generate data that can be used alongside results from past and current missions such as Kepler, TESS, and the James Webb Space Telescope. First-year observations of at least 20 systems are planned.