NASA’s upcoming Pandora mission aims to revolutionize our understanding of exoplanet atmospheres by studying at least 20 distant planets. The dedicated spacecraft, capable of long-duration observations, will provide critical data that complements insights from the James Webb Space Telescope.
The mission, led by NASA’s Goddard Space Flight Center, has completed its spacecraft bus and is poised for launch later this year. The bus holds essential systems needed for operations, including instruments, navigation, data acquisition, and communication with Earth.
Pandora will study at least 20 known planets to determine the composition of their atmospheres, focusing on hazes, clouds, and water. The data will establish a firm foundation for interpreting measurements by NASA’s James Webb Space Telescope and future missions aimed at searching for habitable worlds.
The mission takes advantage of Pandora’s ability to continuously observe its targets for extended periods, something flagship observatories like Webb cannot regularly do. Over the course of its yearlong mission, Pandora will observe exoplanets 10 times, with each stare lasting 24 hours.
Pandora was born out of necessity to overcome a snag in observing starlight passing through exoplanet atmospheres. The mission’s concept addresses an astrophysical effect that limits Webb’s ability to study habitable planets. By capturing combined data on the star and planet, Pandora will cleanly separate star and planetary signals, enabling scientists to determine stellar surface properties.
The telescope for Pandora was jointly developed by Lawrence Livermore National Laboratory and Corning Specialty Materials in Keene, New Hampshire. The mission operations center is based at the University of Arizona, with contributions from a broad network of additional universities supporting the science team.
With its unique approach and advanced technology, Pandora promises to revolutionize our understanding of exoplanet atmospheres and provide critical insights into the search for life beyond Earth.
Source: https://scitechdaily.com/nasas-pandora-set-to-unveil-the-secrets-of-alien-atmospheres