Researchers plan to create a state-of-the-art space telescope as part of the Habitable Worlds Observatory project.
There are still at least ten years to go before the so-called ‘Observatory of Habitable Worlds’ is established, but NASA is not sitting still and has already started developing the necessary basic technology. We are talking about a state-of-the-art space telescope that is needed to search for alien worlds similar to Earth, reports Science alert.
It is understood that three companies have been awarded contracts to research next-generation optics, mission designs and telescope functions. The total budget was $17.5 million and work is expected to begin late this summer.
The Habitable Worlds Observatory (HWO) is a mission to launch a large space telescope whose primary purpose will be to directly image Earth-like planets around stars such as our Sun. The telescope is also expected to be able to study the atmospheres of planets for chemical signs of life.
At this time, the mission is in the early stages of planning and working groups are merely exploring science goals and ways to achieve them. Previous research focusing on existing exoplanets has shown that possibly one in five stars has an Earth-like planet orbiting Earth.
The entire mission of searching for life in the universe as a whole is based on the fact that this life will be somewhat similar to ours. However, it is likely that there is life in the universe that is based on a completely different chemistry. But if we want to find extraterrestrial life, we must start our search with something similar to ours.
As a result, HWO mission scientists will focus on looking for chemicals such as oxygen and methane, as well as other signs that indicate the presence of life on other planets. As a result, NASA announced in early 2024 that it would seek and promote projects related to the necessary technologies.
To bring the ambitious plan to life, for example, a coronagraph is needed that is thousands of times more powerful than what currently exists. In addition, care must be taken to block the light from the parent star, and an optical system must be developed that can remain stationary to within the width of an atom.
As a result, NASA selected three proposals and awarded two-year fixed-price contracts worth $17.5 million. This figure sounds impressive, but for comparison, it took $16 billion to develop and launch Hubble.
