SPICA

SPICA (for Space Infrared Telescope for Cosmology and Astrophysics) is a proposal by Japan (Japan Aerospace Exploration Agency) and Europe (European Space Agency), aimed at a launch in the 2030 time frame. It was passed over for a 2020 funding opportunity, and as of 2024, no funding is in place for additional development. Its aim is a 2.5 m diameter telescope in an L2 orbit, designed for high sensitivity by cooling the mirror below 8 K. Proposed instruments:

• SMI - "SPICA mid-infrared instrument", which includes SMI-LRS (low-resolution spectroscopy), SMI-MRS (mid-resolution spectroscopy), and SMI-HRS (high-resolution spectroscopy).
• SAFARI - "SPICA far-infrared instrument".
• B-BOP - "SPICA far-infrared Polarimeter".

Compared to JWST, its aperture would be smaller (similar to that of HST) and its wavelength-range would cover mid to far infrared rather than near infrared to mid infrared, i.e., closer to the ranges of Spitzer and SOFIA.

Note the acronym SPICA is also used for a CHARA instrument in development.