NASA new 'super-Hubble' telescope aims to find habitable planets

NASA is planning a new astrophysical mission aimed at finding planets similar to our Earth. A key element of this mission will be the construction of the Habitable Worlds Observatory (HWO) space telescope, the latest piece of equipment designed to locate habitable planets.

Contemporary space research often focuses on the search for exoplanets - planets orbiting other stars outside our Solar System. Discovering these distant worlds helps scientists understand how planets form and evolve, as well as identify potential locations that could support life.

Based on existing exoplanet research, about one in five stars may have a planet similar to Earth, suitable for habitation. NASA is working on a new mission that will help find more of these planets. A key element of the mission will be the construction of the Habitable Worlds Observatory (HWO). Due to the capabilities of this equipment, which far exceed those of current constructions, NASA also refers to it as a "super-Hubble."

The Habitable Worlds Observatory (HWO) will be a large space telescope capable of observing in the ultraviolet, visible, and infrared ranges. It will be the first mission to use a coronagraph to identify Earth-like planets that could sustain life, located near bright stars like our Sun, and study them for signs of life.

The mission is still in the very early stages of planning. The launch of the HWO telescope is scheduled for around 2040, but work on the new equipment has already begun. According to Universe Today, NASA has signed contracts with BAE Systems, Lockheed Martin, and Northrop Grumman to research optical systems, modelling infrastructure, mission designs, and the telescope's functions. The contract is worth approximately 14 million pounds.

Work on the new functions is set to begin this summer. NASA will oversee the entire process, and the results will allow it to plan the mission's development and construction phase.