The latest survey on American astronomy and astrophysics from 2022 to 2032 has recommended that NASA create a new program to develop several large space telescopes aimed at searching for exoplanets.
The first mission in this new program, according to the survey report, will be a space telescope capable of observing the universe in infrared, optical, and ultraviolet wavelengths. The Hubble Space Telescope primarily examines optical and ultraviolet light, while the James Webb Space Telescope primarily observes the universe in infrared.
The successor telescope will have 10 times the sensitivity to search for exoplanets.
With a light-collecting area more than double that of Hubble, the newly designed telescope will be able to detect planets in other star systems with brightness levels of 1/10 billion that of their stars and can identify specific light wavelengths or spectra.
The next-generation telescope will also be able to observe stars, galaxies, and other celestial bodies. With an estimated cost of $11 billion, the new telescope is expected to launch in the early 2040s.
Five years after the initial mission begins, NASA should start developing both a far-infrared mission and an X-ray mission, each estimated to cost between $3 billion and $5 billion, the survey recommends.
A far-infrared window into the universe could help astronomers study how water plays a role in the formation of planetary systems.
On the ground, the highest priority for astronomers is to continue building two major optical observatories in Chile and Hawaii, although the Hawaii observatory project has faced controversy.
The survey also notes that it is time to replace the telescopes scattered across the United States. The proposed successor telescope will be ten times more sensitive.
