NASA is planning an ambitious mission to discover 25 habitable worlds by 2050 using the Habitable Worlds Observatory (HWO). The HWO will employ spectroscopy to search for chemical 'biosignatures' in the atmospheres of exoplanets, such as oxygen and methane, to determine if they have the necessary conditions to support life. The mission will also provide new insights into the evolution of cosmic structures and make significant discoveries in astrophysics. The HWO will feature a primary mirror up to 26 feet in diameter and will observe in near-infrared, ultraviolet, and visible light. It is expected to be operational by the 2040s [48b0118d].
NASA's plan to discover potentially habitable worlds involves studying exoplanets using various telescopes. The Nancy Grace Roman Space Telescope, set to launch in 2027, will have a coronagraph to block out the light from stars and study nearby planets. The James Webb Space Telescope (JWST), launched in 2021, uses the transit method to detect exoplanets by observing dips in brightness when a planet passes in front of a star. JWST can also study the atmosphere of exoplanets using transmission spectroscopy. JWST has been able to detect atmospheres around some exoplanets, including LHS 1140 b, a potentially habitable world. Larger exoplanets called Hycean planets are also being studied for habitability. Future telescopes like Grace Roman will join in the search for habitable worlds. The HWO project is part of NASA's broader efforts to explore Earth-like exoplanets and potentially habitable worlds [3babd514].
George Mason University has been chosen by NASA to lead a space mission that aims to find another habitable planet. The university will build and launch an 'artificial star' satellite equipped with solar panels and lasers. The lasers will be observed by telescopes on the ground to measure the brightness of stars and calibrate telescopes more accurately. The mission could advance research in various areas and potentially lead to the discovery of an Earth-like planet. The artificial star will be placed 22,236 miles above Earth and is scheduled to go into orbit in 2029 [a04330d7].
NASA plans to launch a small satellite named Landolt into Earth orbit in 2029 to calibrate telescopes on Earth and create more accurate catalogs of the brightnesses of real stars. The shoebox-sized satellite will mimic a real star to telescopes on Earth and will be observed by ground-based telescopes. The satellite will beam eight onboard lasers at the telescopes, and astronomers will measure how much of the lasers' light gets absorbed by Earth's atmosphere to catalog stellar brightness more precisely. The mission aims to improve measurements of stellar luminosities, which can help determine properties of stars, measure the age and expansion of the universe, and aid in the search for potentially habitable exoplanets. The Landolt mission is named after American astronomer Arlo Landolt and will reduce uncertainties in brightness measurements of stars from 10 percent to one percent. The payload will be built by the U.S. Department of Commerce's National Institute of Standards and Technology [3ff3eb83].
NASA is planning to launch an artificial star into space as part of the Landolt mission. The mission aims to refine the accuracy of astronomical measurements by using a toaster-sized device equipped with eight lasers that mimic the light from stars. The artificial star, scheduled for launch in 2029, will emit light at a known rate of photons and will orbit Earth at a height of 22,236 miles. The mission, named after astronomer Arlo Landolt, aims to develop new stellar brightness catalogs and improve the understanding of the universe's expansion speed and acceleration. The mission team expects the artificial star to establish a benchmark in comprehending star brightness, resulting in more accurate assessments of their dimensions, magnitude, and age [be4b5fa8].
The European Space Agency (ESA) is also conducting tests related to formation flying systems for its Proba-3 mission. The Proba-3 mission involves two satellites that will perform a controlled formation flight, with the satellites approaching as close as 25 meters. The satellites will align with the Sun when positioned around 150 meters apart, casting a shadow from one to the other to create artificial solar eclipses. To achieve this, the Proba-3 satellites utilize multiple sensors, similar to autonomous cars on Earth, to determine their positions relative to each other. The two satellites were recently positioned facing each other in a cleanroom, with cameras, LEDs, a laser, and shadow sensors activated sequentially to test the systems that will allow the pair to sense their precise positions relative to each other. This precision alignment is critical for their mission, aiming to achieve an alignment accuracy down to a single millimeter. The Proba-3 mission is scheduled to launch this autumn on an Indian PSLV-XL launcher [c4da382a].
The success of the Roman Space Telescope, NASA's flagship mission in astrophysics, is a key priority for the Astrophysics Division at NASA Headquarters. The division faces the challenge of managing a wide range of work, from developing strategies to implementing recommendations from the Decadal Survey. While NASA has made significant progress in understanding the universe, new discoveries continue to generate new questions. The future of astrophysics at NASA is shaped by the findings of current missions, and the proposed Habitable Worlds Observatory is a potential flagship mission that will further advance our understanding of the cosmos [6505ad65].