3 of the most exciting space telescopes planned for launch by 2034

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The much-anticipated James Webb Space Telescope volition soon launch. But with plentifulness much epic astronomy instruments planned implicit the adjacent fewer years, the amusive is conscionable beginning

Space 8 December 2021

By Colin Stuart

As 2021 draws to a close, astronomers’ eyes are fixed firmly are connected the James Webb Space Telescope (JWST), which is acceptable to motorboat by the extremity of December. It is 1 of the astir hotly anticipated technological instruments ever, and promises to springiness america an unthinkable caller presumption of the aboriginal beingness and the atmospheres of alien planets circling different stars (see “How the James Webb scope volition rewrite the communicative of the universe“).

But the JWST is acold from the extremity of the story. The adjacent decennary oregon truthful volition spot plentifulness of different ground-breaking observatories commencement up. Here are 3 of the astir breathtaking prospects.

ESA/ATG medialab

PLANETARY TRANSITS AND OSCILLATIONS OF STARS (PLATO)

Expected motorboat date: 2026

This European Space Agency task volition scour a cardinal stars looking for blips successful their airy that betray the beingness of an orbiting planet. Similar kinds of erstwhile telescopes person lone been capable to spot planets that are adjacent to their stars and truthful walk successful beforehand of them frequently. Plato volition linger connected each star for longer and truthful has the accidental to observe planets that are much distant from their star, with a longer orbital period. In particular, the ngo is focused connected trying to spot signs of rocky exoplanets successful the habitable zone, the constrictive portion of a prima strategy successful which temperatures are close for liquid water. It besides has the tools to characterise specified worlds, providing clues arsenic to however Earth-like they whitethorn be.