NASA has announced that it is planning a new telescope dedicated to exoplanet hunting, featuring a larger mirror than the James Webb Space Telescope and expected to launch in the 2040s.
Hunting for Worlds Observatory (HWO) will be responsible for discovering Earth-like planets in the universe. HWO is likely to launch in the early 2040s. New details about this observatory were shared during a meeting of the American Astronomical Society earlier this week.
NASA announces details of new space telescope. (Photo: NASA/JPL)
During the meeting, Mark Clampin, the director of NASA’s astrophysics division, stated that the space observatory is in the planning stages and is among the agency’s priority missions. In recent years, NASA has increasingly focused on the search for extraterrestrial life. The James Webb Space Telescope recently discovered its first exoplanet, but HWO aims to go further.
The next-generation telescope following James Webb will be designed for robotic upgrades in space. This provides a significant advantage over the James Webb, which orbits at Lagrange Point 2 (L2) and cannot be serviced until its scientific mission concludes in the next decade.
According to Dr. Aki Roberge at the Goddard Space Flight Center, the ability to maintain the observatory will make it a leading facility at L2. In other words, the observatory will allow for the replacement of modern equipment as needed. The Hubble Space Telescope has been maintained by astronauts aboard NASA’s space shuttles. However, the maintenance for HWO will be automated and is being developed under NASA’s Artemis program.
NASA plans to apply lessons learned from the James Webb program to HWO to avoid delays and cost overruns. According to a recent report, HWO is likely to feature a larger mirror than James Webb’s (6.5 meters). Because it can be maintained, in addition to the mirror and main structure, the launch design of HWO may not be final.
Clampin also confirmed that HWO will be deployed from Earth to Lagrange Point, similar to James Webb. Currently, the James Webb is located 1.5 million kilometers from Earth. Unlike its predecessor, which operates in infrared light, HWO will capture optical light. HWO is not the next observatory scheduled for NASA’s launch. The Nancy Grace Roman Observatory, which specializes in exoplanet hunting and dark matter, is expected to launch around 2027.
