NASA advances space telescope with Dutch detectors
The PRIMA mission is moving to the next development phase, but must still undergo a confirmation review.
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NASA has selected the PRIMA infrared space telescope for phase B of development. Dutch institutions are the leading candidates to provide the instrument’s sensitive detection systems.
PRIMA stands for Probe far-Infrared Mission for Astrophysics. NASA wants to use the telescope to observe the universe in far-infrared light, a wavelength range that offers additional information alongside observations by telescopes such as the James Webb Space Telescope and radio telescopes.
The move to phase B means that NASA will have the preliminary design and technology development worked out in greater detail. The mission has therefore not yet been built or launched. First, it must undergo a confirmation review in which technical feasibility, scheduling and costs are reassessed.
NASA is aiming for a launch in 2033 and a five-year mission. The organisation cites a project cap of $1.2 billion, excluding launch costs and other costs that do not fall directly under the project. Those figures are part of the current planning, not a definitive final bill.
According to SRON, SRON and TU Delft are the leading candidates to develop the heart of PRIMAger: the detection systems, their housing and the thermal insulation. The detectors are based on so-called kinetic inductance detectors, which can measure extremely weak radiation.
The instrument will also include a polarisation camera and a hyperspectral imager. SRON and the University of Groningen are also working on a variable colour filter that allows different parts of the infrared spectrum through to different locations on the detector. This enables the instrument to gather information about colour and composition without a large prism or grating.
The scientific ambitions are broad: NASA cites research into the formation of planets, stars and black holes, and into the development of galaxies. That makes PRIMA important for astronomy, but the mission is still a development project. The Dutch contribution is a candidate design within an international collaboration, not yet a proven new discovery.
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The mission status and planning come from NASA; SRON provides the explanation of the Dutch technology. The text clearly distinguishes between a candidate for development and definitive flight status.
- confirmed NASA has selected PRIMA for phase B. — Stated in NASA’s press release of 23 September 2026. source
- confirmed PRIMA is being developed for observations in far-infrared light. — NASA describes the objective and wavelength range. source
- confirmed NASA is aiming for a launch in 2033 and a five-year mission. — Mentioned in NASA’s press release. source
- confirmed SRON and TU Delft are the leading candidate for the detection systems. — SRON uses the wording ‘prime candidate’. source
- confirmed SRON and the University of Groningen are working on a variable infrared colour filter. — Described on the SRON project page. source
- confirmed The mission is still dependent on a confirmation review. — NASA mentions a confirmation review before phase C can begin. source