Getting the billion-dollar PRIMA space telescope off the ground
Science Friday

Getting the billion-dollar PRIMA space telescope off the ground

B2Upper-intermediateOctober 20, 202615 min
  • Interview
  • Science

In late September 2026, NASA announced that a new telescope called PRIMA was getting a green light and advancing to something called Phase B of the development process. But what does that mean exactly? How does a billion-dollar space project get thought up, designed, approved, and constructed? Flora talks with Jason Glenn, an astronomer who led the initial concept study for PRIMA, about the challenges ahead and the process of getting a massive space project off the ground. Guest: Dr. Jason Glenn led the concept study for the PRIMA space telescope, and is now...

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Late last month, NASA announced that a new telescope called PRIMA was getting a green

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B of the development process.

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0:00

Hey, it's Flora and you're listening to Science Friday. Late last month, NASA announced that a new telescope called PRIMA was getting a green light and advancing to the next stage of development, entering something called Phase B of the development process.

0:20

And we said, oh, that's awesome, but what does that mean exactly? How does a billion dollar space project get thought up, designed, approved, and constructed? Joining me now is Dr. Jason Glenn. He led the concept study for Prima.

0:36

Basically, it's his idea. And he's now a professor at the University of Virginia. Hey, Jason, welcome to Science Friday. Good morning.

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