ESA's search for extra-solar terrestrial planets: mission update of the Darwin project

Details ESA's search for extra-solar terrestrial planets: mission update of the Darwin project ESA's search for extra-solar terrestrial planets: mission update of the Darwin project

Nov 2002

adsabs.harvard.edu/cgi-bin/nph-data_query?bibcode=2002esasp.518..359f&link_type=abstract

In: Proceedings of the First European Workshop on Exo-Astrobiology, 16 - 19 September 2002, Graz, Austria. Ed.: Huguette Lacoste

Biology

1

Extra-Solar Planets: Space Research

Scientific paper

A mission status is given for the Darwin project. The Infra Red Space Interferometer Darwin was studied, by the European Space Agency (ESA), at system level, between 1997 and 2000. The study, carried out by Alcatel space division in Cannes, France has focused on developing a system that could carry out two main scientific objectives: (1) The detection and characterisation of Earth-like planets orbiting other stars. (2) The imaging of astrophysical objects with unprecedented spatial resolution. The most challenging of these objectives consist of the recording of infrared spectra of Terrestrial exo-planets that could detect signs of biological activity at distances up to 20pc. In order to do this, the Darwin project is constructed around the new technique of "nulling interferometry", which exploits the wave nature of light in order to extinguish the light from a bright object (the central star, the primary, in this case). At the same time the light from a nearby source (the planet) is enhanced. The contrast between planets and stars being the least in the infrared wavelength region, that has been chosen for this mission.

Affiliated with

Also associated with

No associations

Rating

ESA's search for extra-solar terrestrial planets: mission update of the Darwin project does not yet have a rating. At this time, there are no reviews or comments for this scientific paper.

If you have personal experience with ESA's search for extra-solar terrestrial planets: mission update of the Darwin project, we encourage you to share that experience with our LandOfFree.com community. Your opinion is very important and ESA's search for extra-solar terrestrial planets: mission update of the Darwin project will most certainly appreciate the feedback.

Rate now

Comments { 0 }

Profile ID: LFWR-SCP-O-739396