NASA's New UV Space Telescope Will Launch in 2031

NASA's New UV Space Telescope Will Launch in 2031

NASA has committed to launching a new, more powerful UV space telescope. Named UVEX, the UltraViolet EXplorer, it will launch in 2031. It's about 100 times more powerful than its predecessor, GALEX, whose mission ended in 2013. UVEX will perform a survey in UV that will complement infrared surveys by other telescopes.

NASA’s UVEX space telescope passes a key milestone: launch by January 2031 and a $590 million cost

NASA committed to launching the UltraViolet EXplorer by January 2031 at a lifecycle cost of $590 million after the mission passed Key Decision Point C.

NASA Confirms UVEX With a $590 Million Lifecycle Budget

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.

NASA Confirms $590 Million UVEX Telescope for Launch by 2031

Washington, October 27, 2026, 21:06 (EDT) NASA has confirmed its UVEX space telescope, committing to a $590 million lifecycle cost. The agency announced the decision on October 27 after a technical and programmatic review. Launch is due by January 2031. The approval moves a sensitive ultraviolet survey toward construction, Caltech said. Its planned imaging field…