Last Sunday, NASA accomplished a significant feat by launching the 'Pandora' satellite via a SpaceX Falcon 9 rocket. This satellite was part of a 'rideshare' mission, hitching a ride among 40 other payloads. It was successfully positioned into a polar sun-synchronous orbit, circling the Earth at an altitude of about 613 kilometers.

Once ground personnel finish the necessary commissioning procedures in the upcoming weeks, they will initiate deep-space observations. Given its compact stature and cost-effectiveness, astronomers are optimistic that 'Pandora' will tackle the challenge of stellar signal contamination, a persistent issue that has been plaguing the Webb Telescope. Throughout the next year, 'Pandora' is set to carry out synchronized, round-the-clock observations of 20 carefully chosen exoplanets and their respective host stars. This will aid in the extraction of pure planetary signals from the data gathered by the Webb Telescope.