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Habitable Worlds Observatory

All articles tagged with #habitable worlds observatory

science7 days ago•6 min saved

Hubble at a crossroads: extend into the 2030s or bow out

NASA is weighing options to extend the Hubble Space Telescope into the 2030s by moving it to a higher, more stable orbit or to decommission it via a robotic mission. White papers and science-priority pitches are due in July, with recommendations to NASA and Congress later this year. Hubble’s ultraviolet/optical data remain uniquely valuable and complement JWST, aiding studies of galaxy evolution, star formation, dark energy, and exoplanet atmospheres. With the Habitable Worlds Observatory not launching before 2040, keeping Hubble operational for as long as feasible is seen as crucial for the next decade.

via Nature|

#astronomy #habitable-worlds-observatory #hubble-space-telescope

space8 days ago•107 min saved

NASA gears up for robotic servicing of its alien-hunting Habitable Worlds Observatory

NASA’s Habitable Worlds Observatory (HWO), a future space telescope to study rocky, Earth-like planets, is being designed as serviceable in space—likely via robotics at the Sun–Earth L2 point about a million miles away—so instruments and detectors can be swapped and upgraded over time (including gamma-ray detectors). Building on Hubble’s servicing model, the plan could even involve in-space assembly if needed, with the mission still in early design stages and a launch target in the 2040s.

via Space|

#exoplanets #habitable-worlds-observatory #nasa

space1 month ago•95 min saved

Reading Earth's Ancient Atmosphere to Find Life on Nearby Exoplanets

A new analysis of NASA’s Habitable Worlds Observatory models how Earth's atmosphere would look at Archean, Proterozoic, and Phanerozoic times to estimate detection needs; it finds that, to confidently spot biosignatures on distant Earth-like planets, the telescope should aim for ~140 visible resolution to detect oxygen, ~7 UV for ozone, and ~70 near-infrared to separate CO2 and CO; even with these capabilities, life-detection is not guaranteed, and achieving such resolutions requires managing detector noise and exposure times.

via Space|

#atmospheric-retrieval #biosignatures #exoplanets

space4 months ago•3 min saved

New Yardstick for Life: Complexity Over Signatures in Exoplanet Atmospheres

Astrobiologists propose Assembly Theory as an Earth-agnostic metric for detecting life on exoplanets, evaluating how hard molecules are to assemble rather than simply listing atmospheric species. A high assembly index and interconnected chemistry would signal life, avoiding many Earth-centric false positives. Comparing Earth, Venus, and Mars shows Earth as the most chemically diverse, and the method would yield a continuous life-likelihood score obtainable from infrared spectra, compatible with NASA’s Habitable Worlds Observatory.

via Universe Today|

#assembly-theory #biosignatures #exoplanets

science11 months ago•17 min saved

NASA's Habitable Worlds Observatory: The Future of Space Exploration

NASA's proposed Habitable Worlds Observatory aims to be a groundbreaking space telescope capable of directly imaging Earth-like exoplanets and advancing our understanding of the universe, but its future depends on securing sustained funding amidst current political and financial uncertainties.

via Big Think|

#exoplanets #funding #habitable-worlds-observatory

science-and-technology1 year ago•2 min saved

NASA's New Alloy Enhances Exoplanet Detection and Habitability Research

NASA is researching a negative thermal expansion alloy called Alloy 30 that shrinks when heated, to improve the stability of future space telescopes like the Habitable Worlds Observatory, which aims to detect exoplanets by observing faint signals near bright stars. Tests show Alloy 30 can offset the expansion of other materials, potentially enhancing the precision and stability of space instruments critical for exoplanet research.

via theregister.com|

#alloy-30 #exoplanets #habitable-worlds-observatory

space-exploration2 years ago•3 min saved

NASA Advances Tech to Discover Earth-Like Planets

Congressional language in the fiscal year 2024 omnibus spending bill has forced NASA to disband the Science, Technology, Architecture Review Team (START) for the Habitable Worlds Observatory, a large space telescope planned for the early 2040s. The bill mandates NASA to spend at least $10 million on the project this year and establish a project office at the Goddard Space Flight Center, complicating the agency's initial plans for early development. Despite this, NASA will continue its efforts through volunteer working groups and maintain a broad, inclusive program.

via SpaceNews|

#congressional-mandate #habitable-worlds-observatory #nasa

science-and-technology2 years ago•2 min saved

NASA Funds Innovations for Future Habitable Worlds Mission

NASA has awarded three industry proposals to advance technologies for the future Habitable Worlds Observatory mission, aimed at directly imaging Earth-like planets and studying their atmospheres for signs of life. The selected projects, with a combined value of $17.5 million, will focus on ultra-stable optical systems, integrated modeling infrastructure, and maturing telescope support technologies. This initiative builds on previous large space telescope technologies and aims to close technology gaps for this ambitious mission.

via NASA|

#exoplanet-exploration #habitable-worlds-observatory #nasa

astronomy2 years ago•3 min saved

"Astronomers Discover 164 Potential Habitable Worlds"

A team of researchers from UC Berkeley and UC Riverside has compiled a database of 164 exoplanets that could be prime targets for NASA's upcoming Habitable Worlds Observatory (HWO) mission, which aims to search for potentially habitable exoplanets and biosignatures. The database includes measurements of stellar element abundance, photometric values, flare rates, variability estimates, and X-ray emissions, collected from publicly available sources such as Gaia, TESS, and WISE. This catalog will help define the scientific and technical goals for the HWO, and is freely available for further exploration and potential contributions to future work.

via Universe Today|

#astronomical-missions #astronomy #exoplanets

space2 years ago•5 min saved

NASA Prepares for Launch of Next Generation Space Telescope

NASA is in the early planning stages for its next flagship space telescope, the Habitable Worlds Observatory (HWO), which aims to study exoplanets, stars, and galaxies for signs of life. The telescope will utilize advanced technologies such as coronagraphs and starshades to block out starlight and analyze exoplanet atmospheres. The Technical Assessment Group (TAG) for HWO, consisting of 56 experts, will focus on developing the necessary technologies and design requirements for the mission. The HWO is expected to launch in the late 2030s or early 2040s.

via Phys.org|

#exoplanets #habitable-worlds-observatory #nasa

space-science2 years ago•4 min saved

NASA Prepares for Launch of Next Generation Flagship Space Telescope

NASA is already planning for its next flagship space telescope, the Habitable Worlds Observatory (HWO), which could serve as the successor to the James Webb Space Telescope (JWST). The HWO aims to study exoplanets, stars, galaxies, and other celestial objects for signs of life beyond Earth. The Technical Assessment Group (TAG) for HWO, consisting of 56 individuals, will focus on developing key technologies and design requirements. The HWO is expected to launch in the late 2030s or early 2040s and will utilize a coronagraph to block out starlight and analyze exoplanet atmospheres for potential biosignatures.

via Universe Today|

#coronagraph #exoplanets #habitable-worlds-observatory

science-and-technology2 years ago•7 min saved

"Searching for Alien Life: The Quest for Extraterrestrial Civilizations"

Scientists and engineers at Caltech are discussing the development of the Habitable Worlds Observatory (HWO), a proposed space telescope that aims to detect signs of life on exoplanets. The HWO would be the next powerful astrophysics observatory after NASA's James Webb Space Telescope and would have the ability to study stars, galaxies, and exoplanets. The telescope's ability to characterize exoplanet atmospheres and search for biosignatures depends on advanced technologies such as coronagraphs, which block the glare from distant stars. The HWO mission is expected to launch in the late 2030s or early 2040s, and scientists hope to have a catalog of at least 25 Earth-like planets to explore by then.

via Caltech|

#alien-life #coronagraph #exoplanets