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NASA's 'SPHEREx' infrared space telescope is launching this week. Here's why it's a big deal

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NASA 's latest space telescope, SPHEREx, is set to lift off atop a SpaceX Falcon 9 rocket on Friday .

The $488 million mission is designed to map the entire sky in 3D, in wavelengths invisible to the human eye.

The two-year effort aims to gather a big-picture view of more than 450 million galaxies and over 100 million stars in our home galaxy, the Milky Way.

Scientists say the treasure trove of data will answer fundamental questions that can only be addressed by examining the universe from a broad, all-encompassing perspective.