.jpg) | |
| Mission type | Space telescope |
|---|---|
| Operator | NASA |
| Website | https://habitableworldsobservatory.org/home |
| Start of mission | |
| Launch date | 2040s (2025-10-19UTC02:40) |
Large Strategic Science Missions Astrophysics Division ← NGRST | |
TheHabitable Worlds Observatory (HWO) is a proposed next generationspace telescope, a successor of the flagshipHubble,Webb, andRoman projects. It would have a large 6–8-meter mirror and be able to detectinfrared,optical, andultraviolet wavelengths. Its primary mission would be to search for and image Earth-sizehabitable exoplanets in thehabitable zones of their stars, whereliquid water can exist, by using acoronagraph or astarshade to block out the light of their stars. Beyond planets, it will also observe galaxies.[1] The proposed launch date is 2041, a tentative date because U.S. PresidentDonald Trump’s budget proposals promised to defund and dismantle many NASA science missions currently in development.[2]
HWO's main objective would be to identify anddirectly image at least 25 potentially habitable worlds. It would then usespectroscopy to search for chemicalbiosignatures in these planets' atmospheres, including gases such as oxygen and methane, which could serve as critical evidence for life. HWO would also use its high sensitivity and resolution capabilities to trace the evolution of galaxies and other cosmic structures.[3]
The main science themes for HWO are:[1]
The concept for HWO came out of two earlier ideas called theLarge Ultraviolet Optical Infrared Surveyor andHabitable Exoplanets Observatory. HWO was officially recommended in 2020 by theNational Academies'Decadal Survey on Astronomy and Astrophysics.[4] In 2023, theNational Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA) established a Great Observatory Maturation Program (GOMAP) to unite government, industry, and academia to develop the technologies needed for HWO.[3] GOMAP aims to draw on lessons from previousNASA missions to streamline development of the HWO concept and decrease budget and schedule risks for the future mission.
The HWO is designed to be launched on asuper heavy-lift launch vehicle such asSpaceX'sStarship,Blue Origin'sNew Glenn or theSLS.[5] The design for the HWO includes a 6–8-meter mirror; however, it would allow for a larger mirror if launch-vehicle technology allows by the time of its launch in the 2040s.[5]
| Operating |
| ||||||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Planned | |||||||||||||
| Proposed | |||||||||||||
| Retired |
| ||||||||||||
| Hibernating (Mission completed) | |||||||||||||
| Lost/Failed | |||||||||||||
| Cancelled | |||||||||||||
| Related |
| ||||||||||||
