NASA has confirmed the Ultraviolet Explorer, or UVEX, mission with a total lifecycle cost of $590 million and a commitment to launch by January 2031. The agency’s October 27 announcement follows completion of Key Decision Point C, a technical and programmatic review that establishes the project’s implementation commitments.
UVEX will survey the entire sky in ultraviolet light to investigate how stars and galaxies evolve. It will also rapidly redirect its observations toward short-lived events, including the explosions associated with merging neutron stars.
The combination gives the observatory two complementary functions: systematically mapping ultraviolet sources and examining events whose appearance changes quickly. Its survey will contribute to a broader view of the universe alongside missions observing other wavelengths, including the Nancy Grace Roman Space Telescope.
NASA selected UVEX for development in 2024 through its Medium-Class Explorer program. Fiona Harrison of Caltech leads the mission as principal investigator. Participating organizations include the University of California, Berkeley, NASA’s Jet Propulsion Laboratory, Northrop Grumman, and Space Dynamics Laboratory.
The confirmation establishes the approved cost and launch commitment for the observatory’s next development stage.
