Missions
PRIMA: NASA's New Probe to Study Dusty Universe
The proposed observatory would use far-infrared light to see through cosmic dust and study how planets, stars, and black holes form.
NASA has selected a new mission concept called PRIMA, short for PRobe far-Infrared Mission for Astrophysics. The agency announced the selection in September 2026. PRIMA is the first mission in a new class called Probe Explorers, part of NASA's long-running Explorers Program.
The observatory is designed to observe far-infrared light. That wavelength range lets scientists see through the thick dust that hides many cosmic objects. PRIMA will study how planets and stars form, how black holes grow, and even help trace how water ended up on Earth.
PRIMA is not yet a confirmed mission. If NASA gives the green light, the spacecraft would launch in 2033 and operate for five years. The mission would open a new window on the universe, revealing regions that visible-light telescopes cannot reach.
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