{"id":12674,"date":"2016-05-24T02:29:10","date_gmt":"2016-05-24T06:29:10","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/hobbyspace.com\/Blog\/?p=12674"},"modified":"2016-05-24T02:32:04","modified_gmt":"2016-05-24T06:32:04","slug":"proposed-high-definition-space-telescope-hdst-could-directly-image-exoplanets","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/hobbyspace.com\/Blog\/?p=12674","title":{"rendered":"Proposed High Definition Space Telescope (HDST) could directly image exoplanets"},"content":{"rendered":"

A group of astronomers last year proposed\u00a0a 11.7 meter diameter\u00a0multi-mirror space telescope that could image planets around other stars:\u00a0From Cosmic Birth to Living Earths<\/a>\u00a0(See also the detailed study in the\u00a0AURA report (pdf)<\/a>)<\/span><\/p>\n

The High Definition Space Telescope (HDST)<\/strong> would be sensitive to light at UV through near-infrared wavelengths, viewing the universe from the second Earth-Sun Lagrange point (L2), one million miles from the Earth. Its segmented mirror would be folded into either a current or future heavy-lift rocket, before being launched and deployed at its final home.<\/em><\/p>\n

In its mission to discover and study Earth-like planets orbiting Sun-like stars, HDST will directly image exoplanets \u2014 including planets that may be as much as 10 billion times fainter than their host star \u2014 by carefully suppressing the star\u2019s light. HDST\u2019s exquisite image quality at visible wavelengths (with more than 25 times the resolving power of the Hubble Space Telescope<\/a>) and high sensitivity all the way into the ultraviolet part of the spectrum (100 times more sensitive than Hubble), combined with a versatile set of imaging and spectroscopic instruments, will trigger profound breakthroughs in astrophysics. <\/em><\/p>\n

Like Hubble and JWST, HDST would operate as a general observatory, supporting a broad range of investigations beyond its core exoplanet mission.<\/em><\/p>\n

\"fig_5-1[1]\"<\/a>
The HDST mirror array in comparison to the Hubble space telescope mirror and the James Webb Space Telescope<\/a><\/em><\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

HDST\u2018s primary goal is to find and characterize dozens of Earth-like exoplanets.<\/strong> A sample of dozens of exoEarths opens up the opportunity to identify truly Earth-like worlds with rocky surfaces and oceans, amidst a complex zoo of other varieties of terrestrial planets. <\/em><\/p>\n

With this large sample, observing telltale signs of life in the planets\u2019 atmospheres becomes possible. If life is rare,\u00a0HDST\u00a0will take us from our current complete ignorance of the occurrence rate of inhabited worlds to a first constraint, potentially showing how remarkable our own existence is.\u00a0<\/em><\/p>\n

\u00a0If life is common, a large sample of terrestrial worlds with highly unusual atmospheric chemistry will secure our belief that life of some kind exists beyond the Earth, regardless of possible false positives. Whatever the outcome,\u00a0HDST\u00a0will change how we see our place in the Universe.<\/em><\/p>\n

A view of the telescope folded up inside the fairing of a Delta IV Heavy<\/a> rocket:<\/p>\n

\"fig_5-2[1]\"<\/a>
A folded 11 m primary mirror, constructed with 54 1.3 m segments, is shown inside a Delta 4-H shroud.<\/em><\/figcaption><\/figure>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

A group of astronomers last year proposed\u00a0a 11.7 meter diameter\u00a0multi-mirror space telescope that could image planets around other stars:\u00a0From Cosmic Birth to Living Earths\u00a0(See also the detailed study in the\u00a0AURA report (pdf)) The High Definition Space Telescope (HDST) would be sensitive to light at UV through near-infrared wavelengths, viewing the universe from the second Earth-Sun … Continue reading Proposed High Definition Space Telescope (HDST) could directly image exoplanets<\/span> →<\/span><\/a><\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":0,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"jetpack_post_was_ever_published":false,"_jetpack_newsletter_access":"","_jetpack_dont_email_post_to_subs":false,"_jetpack_newsletter_tier_id":0,"_jetpack_memberships_contains_paywalled_content":false,"_jetpack_memberships_contains_paid_content":false,"footnotes":""},"categories":[12,26],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-12674","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","hentry","category-astronomy","category-space-systems"],"jetpack_featured_media_url":"","jetpack_sharing_enabled":true,"jetpack_shortlink":"https:\/\/wp.me\/p34aWK-3iq","jetpack-related-posts":[{"id":12906,"url":"https:\/\/hobbyspace.com\/Blog\/?p=12906","url_meta":{"origin":12674,"position":0},"title":"Kepler space observatory finds more than 100 new exoplanets","author":"TopSpacer","date":"July 19, 2016","format":false,"excerpt":"The\u00a0Kepler space telescope\u00a0continues to find more planets around other stars: NASA\u2019s Kepler Confirms 100+ Exoplanets During Its K2 Mission An international team of astronomers has discovered and confirmed a treasure trove of new worlds using NASA\u2019s Kepler spacecraft on its K2 mission. Among the findings tallying 197 initial planet candidates,\u2026","rel":"","context":"In "Astronomy"","block_context":{"text":"Astronomy","link":"https:\/\/hobbyspace.com\/Blog\/?cat=12"},"img":{"alt_text":"k2_100planet_header[1]","src":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/hobbyspace.com\/Blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2016\/07\/k2_100planet_header1.png?resize=350%2C200","width":350,"height":200},"classes":[]},{"id":13519,"url":"https:\/\/hobbyspace.com\/Blog\/?p=13519","url_meta":{"origin":12674,"position":1},"title":"Kickstarter: Project Blue aims to see exoplanets at Alpha Centauri with low cost space observatory","author":"TopSpacer","date":"November 16, 2016","format":false,"excerpt":"Project Blue\u00a0intends to develop a small, low cost space telescope that looks continually at our nearest neighboring star system, Alpha Centauri, and try to directly image any\u00a0planets orbiting it. A coronagraph will be used to block the otherwise blinding glare of the stars. The project\u00a0has opened a\u00a0Kickstarter campaign\u00a0to raise $1M\u2026","rel":"","context":"In "Astronomy"","block_context":{"text":"Astronomy","link":"https:\/\/hobbyspace.com\/Blog\/?cat=12"},"img":{"alt_text":"Project Blue Infographic","src":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/hobbyspace.com\/Blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2016\/11\/2bed2dba3d1ab9b8638c4c30cd59c6d9_original1-394x1024.jpg?resize=350%2C200","width":350,"height":200},"classes":[]},{"id":4393,"url":"https:\/\/hobbyspace.com\/Blog\/?p=4393","url_meta":{"origin":12674,"position":2},"title":"Video: Imaging habitable exoplanets + PANOPTES citizen science exoplanet search","author":"TopSpacer","date":"September 10, 2013","format":false,"excerpt":"Here's a very interesting SETI Institute seminar by Olivier Guyon about the possibilities of directly imaging planets in the habitable zones of stars by using coronagraph techniques on telescopes to suppress the glare of the star. Could work with a Hubble size telescope in orbit or with the new giant\u2026","rel":"","context":"In "Astronomy"","block_context":{"text":"Astronomy","link":"https:\/\/hobbyspace.com\/Blog\/?cat=12"},"img":{"alt_text":"","src":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/img.youtube.com\/vi\/Da2KLcbUIV8\/0.jpg?resize=350%2C200","width":350,"height":200},"classes":[]},{"id":6568,"url":"https:\/\/hobbyspace.com\/Blog\/?p=6568","url_meta":{"origin":12674,"position":3},"title":"PLATO exoplanet finder mission selected by ESA","author":"TopSpacer","date":"February 20, 2014","format":false,"excerpt":"ESA has selected the PLATO (PLAnetary Transits and Oscillations of stars)\u00a0exoplanet search space observatory as a new mission that will launch in 2024 time frame:\u00a0ESA selects planet-hunting PLATO mission - ESA Here is a description of the project: Space eye with 34 telescopes will investigate one million stars One of\u2026","rel":"","context":"In "Exoplanets"","block_context":{"text":"Exoplanets","link":"https:\/\/hobbyspace.com\/Blog\/?cat=46"},"img":{"alt_text":"","src":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/sci.esa.int\/science-e-media\/img\/df\/PLATO_EADS_THALES_ALENIA_410.jpg?resize=350%2C200","width":350,"height":200},"classes":[]},{"id":9794,"url":"https:\/\/hobbyspace.com\/Blog\/?p=9794","url_meta":{"origin":12674,"position":4},"title":"Review: “Five Billion Years of Solitude” by Lee Billings","author":"TopSpacer","date":"January 29, 2015","format":false,"excerpt":"Zooming in on the universe has\u00a0not been easy or quick. 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