NASA wants to build a unique telescope that will search for inhabited worlds

The project, known as theHabitable Worlds Observatory(HWO), is at least a decade away from launch, but NASA has already begun developing the necessary technology, ScienceAlert reports.

Contracts worth $17.5 million have been awarded to three companies to study next-generation optics, mission design and telescope performance, with work set to begin in late summer 2024.

HWO aims to launch a large space telescope, primarily to directly image Earth-like planets around stars like our sun. It will also study their atmospheres to detect chemical signatures that may indicate the presence of life. The mission is currently in the early stages of planning, with working groups defining science goals and strategies for achieving them.

Existing studies of exoplanets indicate that one in five stars probably has an Earth-like planet orbiting it.

The search for life in the universe suggests that extraterrestrial life may be similar to life on Earth. Although life may be based on completely different chemistry, it makes sense to look for life forms similar to our own, rather than taking a chance on unknown forms. Hence, HWO will be looking for chemicals such as oxygen and methane, which are indicators of life.

In January this year, NASA requested proposals for the technology development needed for HWO.

While this may sound simple, the requirements are very complex. For example, the mission will require a coronograph thousands of times more powerful than existing ones to block light from the host star, and an optical system that can remain stationary to within the width of an atom during observations.

NASA selected three proposals for two-year fixed-price contracts totalling $17.5 million. While this amount seems significant, it pales in comparison to the $16 billion spent to develop and launch the Hubble Space Telescope.

These contracts, scheduled for completion by late summer 2024, will lay the technological foundation for the next phase of HWO development and will include:

• Modelling and subsystems for an 'ultra-stable' optical system well beyond the current capabilities delivered by BAE Systems.
• Development of an integrated modelling infrastructure for navigation and comparison of design interdependencies, provided by Lockheed Martin.
• Advancing technologies to support telescope operations, such as deployable optical baffles to reduce stray light and structural support for the optical system (Northrop Grumman).

NASA will oversee the entire process, using the results of the James Webb Space Telescope and the upcoming Nancy Grace Telescope as benchmarks. This effort will allow NASA to plan the design and construction phase of the mission.