Provided by NASA
The blueprint for the next generation space telescope, the Layered World Observatory (HWO), following the James Webb Space Telescope (JWST), the largest and most powerful space telescope in human history, was unveiled for the first time. In 2040, the main mission is to find traces of life on an alien planet similar to Earth by leaving for outer space about 1.5 million km away from Earth. Unlike the JWST, it is designed in such a way that it can be maintained and operated for decades. In the era of ‘New Space’ where the private sector leads space development, the private sector will also expand participation in space telescopes, where private sector participation has been low.
Mark Clampin, director of NASA’s Astrophysical Division, presented the HWO project at the 241st meeting of the American Astronomical Society held in Seattle, USA on the 15th. HWO stands for ‘Habitable Worlds Observatory’ and is also known as HabEx.
A space telescope is an optical observation device that performs astronomical observations in outer space outside the earth’s atmosphere. Astronomers observe the universe using various radio wave wavelengths such as infrared and gamma rays. On earth, there are many radio waves with wavelengths that are difficult to observe due to atmospheric influence, except for certain wavelength bands such as visible light and near infrared light. If you send a space telescope into distant space like JWST, you can observe radio waves that cannot be observed from earth.
HWO is a space telescope focused on imaging Earth-like planets and analyzing their atmospheres. Look for signs related to biological activity, such as water, oxygen, and ozone in the atmosphere. In addition to the search for life, it is expected to be used in general astrophysics, such as the history of the creation of the universe, the life cycle and death of the most massive stars.
HWO requires the same mirrors used for JWST for mission. JWST picks up radio signals from celestial phenomena with 18 hexagonal mirrors. Eighteen mirrors move closer and closer to observe the target object.
HWO requires tighter mirror control technology than JWST. NASA explains that while JWST requires control technology at the nanometer level (nm 1nm is 1 billionth of a meter), HWO requires picometer level (1pm is 1/1 trillionth of a meter). Also, compared to JWST, the HWO ‘coronograph’ should be able to photograph stars 10 billion times brighter. A coronagraph is an optical device inside a telescope that blocks the light out of celestial bodies and turns them into faint exoplanets. A device is also needed to protect the space telescope from micrometeorites.
The provisional budget for the HWO project is about $11 billion (about 13.59 trillion won). NASA plans to use the budget efficiently by encouraging private companies to participate. “By 2040, companies providing robot repair services will emerge thanks to technological advances in private space companies,” said Mr Clampin.
HWO aims to launch in 2040. The intention is to send it to the ‘Second Lagrangian Point’ 1.5 million km away from Earth. This point is advantageous for space observation because gravity and centrifugal force are offset and there is no light distortion. “HWO is still in the initial planning stage of design,” said Mr Clampin. “We still need more time to realize the project, such as securing a budget.”
Before HWO, several next-generation space telescopes are being prepared for launch. It is thanks to the success of JWST, which started its mission last year and has achieved a number of successes. NASA is launching the ‘Nancy Grace Roman Space Telescope’ in 2027, which can observe a wider area of space in less time than the Hubble Space Telescope. The European Space Agency (ESA) will launch the Plato space telescope in 2026, and the Japanese Aerospace Exploration Agency (JAXA) will launch ‘Light Bird’ in 2027 to observe gravitational waves. The China National Astronomical Agency (CNSA) will launch an infrared space telescope, Xintian, in 2024, which can ensure a field of view 300 times wider than Hubble’s. Korea is participating in the development of ‘SphereX’, an infrared space telescope that takes pictures of the entire universe together with NASA.
