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NASA are planning on building a telescope to hunt for habitable worlds. The imaginatively named ‘Habitable Worlds Observatory’ is at least a decade away but NASA have started to develop the underlying technology needed. The contracts have been awarded to three companies to research the next-generation optics, mission designs and telescope features at a cost of $17.5 million. Work should begin late summer 2024.

The Habitable Worlds Observatory (HWO) is a mission to launch a large space telescope with the main purpose of directly imaging Earth-like planets around stars like our Sun. It will also be able to study their atmosphere to look for chemical signatures for signs of life. The mission is very much in its early planning stages with working groups looking at the  science goals and how to achieve them. 

This is an artist’s illustration of the exoplanet TRAPPIST-1d, a potentially habitable exoplanet about 40 light-years away. Image Credit: By NASA/JPL-Caltech – Cropped from: PIA22093: TRAPPIST-1 Planet Lineup – Updated Feb. 2018, Public Domain, https://commons.wikimedia.org/w/index.php?curid=76364484

It is thought that, based on existing exoplanet research, one star in every five is likely to have an Earth-like planet in orbit around it. Of course the whole premise of searching for live in the Universe relies on that life being somewhat similar to our own. There may well be life based on a whole different chemistry but if we are to find life then we may as well look for life like ours rather thank take a punt on something completely different. To that end HWO will be on the lookout for chemicals like Oxygen and methane and other signatures that hint at the presence of life. 

In January of this year, NASA requested proposals that will drive and advance the necessary technologies that will be needed for HWO. This may sound a simple ask but taking into consideration what will be needed such as a coronagraph thousands of times more capable than existing to block out light from the host star and an optical system that can remain stationary to the accuracy of the width of an atom during an observation and you realise the challenges ahead. 

Following on from the first phase, NASA has now selected three proposals for two-year fixed price contracts that total a staggering $17.5 million. Sounds like a lot of money but Hubble cost $16 billion to develop and launch. The work is schedule to begin by late summer 2024. Together the contracts will deliver a framework of technology that will support the next phase of the HWO development and include;

• Modelling and sub-systems for an  ultra-stable’ optical system far beyond current capability. This will be delivered by BAE Systems.
• Develop necessary integrated modelling infrastructure that can navigate and compare design interdependencies. This element will be delivered by Lockheed Martin
• Advance the technologies need to support telescope operations such as deployable optical baffles to reduce stray light ingress and structural support for the optical train.  This final element will be delivered by Northrop Grumman.

Artist impression of the James Webb Space Telescope

NASA will of course be in control the whole way through and the output will enable them to plan for the development and build phase of the mission. The work is not being completed in isolation though as there are learnings from the James Webb Space Telescope and the future Nancy Grace Telescope too. 

Source : NASA Awards Advance Technologies for Future Habitable Worlds Mission

The post Research Work Begins on the Habitable Worlds Observatory appeared first on Universe Today.

I know:  the title sounds like a James Bond movie. . .

Over the last few years, the squirrels around Botany Pond have seemed to acquire a gene form that gives them golden tails. Now I don’t know if it’s a gene, but I don’t see how anything else can produce several squirrels with golden tails. (Not all of them have it.)

For your delectation, here are two shots of one I took on my way home. Since I always carry a stash of nuts in my bag for squirrels, this one got a pecan, and was delighted to have it.

If you’ve seen squirrels like this, or know how they develop this way, let me know.

Diabetes rates continue to rise. Scientists have now created a pain-free drug delivery method to help people with diabetes manage the disease and maintain their health more easily. Researchers have developed oral insulin drops that when placed under the tongue are quickly and efficiently absorbed by the body, potentially replacing the need for insulin injections.

The U.S. public displays more positive than negative sentiment toward nuclear energy but concerns remain about waste, cost and safety, according to an analysis of 300,000 posts on social media.

A single universal equation can closely approximate the frequency of wingbeats and fin strokes made by birds, insects, bats and whales, despite their different body sizes and wing shapes, researchers report in a new study.

Large Language Models behind popular generative AI platforms like ChatGPT gave different answers when asked to respond to the same reasoning test and didn't improve when given additional context, finds a new study.

New partitioning coefficients of first-transition row elements, Ga and Ge between olivine and silicate melt have been reported. New high-temperature experiments have investigated the effects of oxygen fugacity and iron content on these partition coefficients. This newly compiled dataset offers insights into interpreting trace elements found in olivine phenocrysts within lunar basalts, shedding light on the deep interior composition of the Moon.

Scientists are getting closer to detecting bushfires in record time, thanks to cube satellites with onboard AI now able to detect fires from space 500 times faster than traditional on-ground processing of imagery.

A groundbreaking method of detecting high-frequency gravitational waves (HFGWs) has been proposed. The team's innovative approach may enable the successful detection of HFGWs by utilizing existing and technologically feasible astronomical telescopes in planetary magnetosphere, opening up new possibilities for studying the early universe and violent cosmic events in an effective and technically viable way.

Scientists have detected what they believe to be a neutron star spinning at an unprecedentedly slow rate -- slower than any of the more than 3,000 radio emitting neutron stars measured to date.

Car tires contain hundreds of chemical additives that can leach out of them. This is how they end up in crops and subsequently in the food chain. Researchers have now detected these chemical residues in leafy vegetables for the first time. Although the concentrations were low, the evidence was clear, a finding that is also known for drug residues in plant-based foods.

Babies' brains are not as immature as previously thought, rather they are using the period of postnatal 'helplessness' to learn powerful foundation models similar to those underpinning generative Artificial Intelligence, according to a new study.

A collaborative team of researchers has made a cracking discovery with the potential to make a significant impact in the sustainable recovery of rare earth elements (REEs), which are in increasing demand for use in green energy technologies. The team found that humble eggshell waste could recover REES from water, offering a new, environmentally friendly method for their extraction.

A collaborative team of researchers has made a cracking discovery with the potential to make a significant impact in the sustainable recovery of rare earth elements (REEs), which are in increasing demand for use in green energy technologies. The team found that humble eggshell waste could recover REES from water, offering a new, environmentally friendly method for their extraction.

Many managers are currently seeking a balance between digital and face-to-face communication. A recent study shows that top IT industry managers have different views on when and for what purposes face-to-face communication in the workplace is needed.

A team of researchers has developed a new method for target DNA sequence amplification, testing and analysis.

For many parents, it can feel like curbing kids' screen use is a losing battle. But new research has found the parenting practices that work best to curb screen time and addictive screen behavior: restricting screens in bedrooms and at mealtimes and modeling healthy practices at home.

Fusion researchers have successfully deployed machine learning methods to suppress harmful plasma edge instabilities without sacrificing plasma performance.

Fusion researchers have successfully deployed machine learning methods to suppress harmful plasma edge instabilities without sacrificing plasma performance.

Almost a century ago, the discovery of antibiotics like penicillin revolutionized medicine by harnessing the natural bacteria-killing abilities of microbes. A study suggests that natural-product antibiotic discovery is about to accelerate into a new era, powered by artificial intelligence (AI).