The Large Interferometer for Exoplanets could chase new exoplanets and galaxies with a fleet of tools—if it ever gets off the ground.
Kepler heralded in an explosive era of exoplanet discovery using the transits method.Despite Kepler’s productivity, the transit technique comes with its own limitations: It’s essentially a long waiting game for exoplanets to complete several round trips around their stars. As such, the steadfast stargazer can only afford to stare at the same sliver of sky for several years at a time.
The rise of small satellites and swarm technologies in recent years will be critical for whipping formation flying into shape to give LIFE—or nulling interferometry—a new lease on life. Smallsats and Cubesats in low Earth orbit are suitable prototype platforms to debut formation flying. A The auxiliary telescopes of Chile’s Very Large Telescope can be rearranged to conduct nulling interferometry.As much as space-based nulling interferometry seems inevitable, space agencies have not drawn out concrete plans to carry it through so far.
United States Latest News, United States Headlines
Similar News:You can also read news stories similar to this one that we have collected from other news sources.
James Webb Space Telescope Set to Study Two Strange Super-EarthsSpace agency officials promise to deliver geology results from worlds dozens of light-years away
Read more »
James Webb Space Telescope coverage wins Pulitzer Prize for science writer Natalie Wolchover and QuantaThe award-winning Wolchover was a staff writer for Space.com's sister publication Live Science from 2010 to 2012.
Read more »
NASA reveals when we'll see James Webb telescope's stunning first photosNASA plans to release the first images from the James Webb space telescope soon, here's exactly when you can expect to see them.
Read more »
The first images from James Webb will be released in July | Digital TrendsNASA has announced the date when the first full-color images from the new James Webb Space Telescope will be released.
Read more »
Fitness Trainer Breaks Tooth Dunking At LeBron James' 'Hustle' Movie PremiereA fitness trainer broke his tooth while dunking on a makeshift court set up at the premiere of LeBron James' new 'Hustle' movie.
Read more »
Retail wrap: Kolache Factory, Chicken Salad Chick, James Avery, First Watch open additional locationsA roundup of retail real estate activity in the Houston area.
Read more »