Caltech’s Jamie Bock will receive NASA’s Exceptional Scientific Achievement Medal for his leadership of the SPHEREx mission, a space telescope that will map over 450 million galaxies during its two-year observation period. Launched in March 2025, SPHEREx studies the birth of the universe, galactic evolution and the formation of stars and planets.
“Despite its modest size, SPHEREx addresses some of the most fundamental questions in science,” Bock says, adding that the mission is performing well thanks to its dedicated team. The recognition highlights NASA’s ongoing partnership with Caltech and the Jet Propulsion Laboratory on ambitious projects to understand our place in the cosmos.
Jamie Bock Receives NASA Medal for SPHEREx Universe Mapping
The award specifically acknowledges individual efforts resulting in fundamental contributions to a scientific field, a distinction reflecting the scope of SPHEREx’s goals and the complexity of its instrumentation. Launched in March 2025, the observatory is already collecting data that will reshape our understanding of the universe’s earliest moments and the processes driving galactic evolution.
SPHEREx is uniquely equipped to map the chemical signatures of interstellar ices, as demonstrated by an early observation of Cygnus X, a region of intense star formation, revealing bright blue areas indicative of water ice and orange hues representing polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons. This capability allows scientists to trace the building blocks of planets and potentially identify regions conducive to life beyond Earth, a key objective driving the mission’s design.
The telescope’s ability to capture over 450 million galaxies in 102 distinct colors will create a detailed 3D map, providing a detailed view of the cosmos and its history. The medal acknowledges more than just technical success. It highlights Bock’s effectiveness in advancing NASA’s goals and public image, reflecting his collaborative approach and dedication to scientific outreach. “exceptional scientific contributions toward achievement of NASA’s mission,” the award citation states, emphasizing the direct link between SPHEREx’s research and the agency’s broader objectives.
This recognition arrives as SPHEREx continues to perform well in space, a result of the dedicated team of scientists, managers, and engineers who brought the project to fruition, according to mission reports. The data collected will be available to the wider scientific community, encouraging further research and discovery for years to come.
It has been a privilege to work with NASA and ISRO on this mission to make this vision a reality.
SPHEREx Detects Interstellar Ice Signatures in Milky Way Galaxy
SPHEREx has mapped vast regions of interstellar ice within the Milky Way, revealing the chemical fingerprints of water ice and polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons in Cygnus X, a highly active star-forming region. These detections demonstrate the telescope’s unique capability to identify molecules important to the development of planetary systems, including water, carbon dioxide and carbon monoxide.
This capability stems from SPHEREx’s ability to observe in near-infrared light, a spectrum particularly sensitive to the signatures of these ices, and its wide-field view, allowing it to survey large areas of the sky efficiently. JPL’s involvement extends beyond instrument development; the laboratory manages Caltech’s role in the mission, ensuring smooth integration of expertise and resources.
The NASA-ISRO Synthetic Aperture Radar (NISAR) satellite, also receiving recognition, is changing how Earth is observed using microwaves, covering all land and ice-covered surfaces at fine resolution with a weekly cadence, according to JPL research fellow Paul Rosen. This parallel achievement highlights the collaborative spirit driving NASA’s ambitious space exploration programs and the breadth of scientific inquiry being advanced through these partnerships.
NISAR is changing the way we observe Earth using microwaves, covering all land and ice-covered surfaces at fine resolution and at a weekly cadence.
Paul Rosen, Project Scientist, NISAR Mission
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