Tiny Pandora, Big Insight: Pandora Helps Webb See Real Exoplanet Signs
TL;DR
NASA launches Pandora, a small 17-inch telescope, to calibrate and disentangle stellar activity from exoplanet signals so Webb can more reliably study exoplanet atmospheres. Over its one-year prime mission, Pandora will observe 20 preselected exoplanets to map star variability and correct Webb’s measurements, potentially confirming atmospheres with water or methane while operating on a modest budget and a SpaceX rideshare launch.
Topics:sciencespace#exoplanets#james-webb-space-telescope#nasa#pandora-mission#space#stellar-contamination
- NASA launches new mission to get the most out of the James Webb Space Telescope Ars Technica
- NASA’s Exoplanet Observing Satellite Separated From Rocket NASA (.gov)
- SpaceX launches NASA's Pandora exoplanet mission, 3 dozen other satellites (video) Space
- NASA astrophysics, commercial satellites launch on SpaceX rideshare mission SpaceNews
- NASA’s Pandora telescope will study stars in detail to learn about the exoplanets orbiting them The Conversation
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