Astronomy:List of proposed space observatories

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This list contains proposals for space telescopes, space-based (situated in space) astronomical observatories. It is a list of past and present space observatory plans, concepts, and proposals. For observatories in orbit, see list of space telescopes. Unlike that list, this one includes concepts and proposals that are unlikely ever to be launched, as they may have been cancelled or were only proposals.

Space observatories under development

Name Agency Type Proposed
launch date 		Status Proposed location Ref(s)
TOLIMAN NASA visible 2023 under construction Low Earth orbit [1]
Xuntian CNSA ultraviolet, visible, infrared 2024 under construction Low Earth orbit [2][3]
PLATO ESA visible 2026 Sun-Earth L2 Lagrange point
Nancy Grace Roman Space Telescope (formerly WFIRST) NASA infrared 2026-2027 confirmed and named 2020 Sun-Earth L2 Lagrange point [4][5]
LiteBIRD JAXA millimeter radio 2028 Approved for development Sun-Earth L2 Lagrange point [6]
Spektr-UV (WSO-UV) Roscosmos ultraviolet 2028 funded Geosynchronous orbit [7]
Laser Interferometer Space Antenna (LISA) ESA/NASA gravitational waves 2037 Solar Earth-trailing orbit (approx. 1 AU) [8]
Astrosat-2 ISRO Near Ultraviolet, Far Ultraviolet, Visible TBD – Low Earth orbit [9]
Habitable Worlds Observatory (HWO) NASA Ultraviolet, Visible, Infrared 2041 early planning 'Phase 1' Sun-Earth L2 Lagrange point

[10]

X-Ray Great Observatory (nicknamed Fire) NASA X-Ray 2047 early planning 'Phase 1' possibly Sun-Earth L2 Lagrange point

[10]

Far-Infrared Great Observatory (nicknamed Smoke) NASA Far-Infrared 2051 early planning 'Phase 1' possibly Sun-Earth L2 Lagrange point

[10]

Merged, cancelled, or superseded space observatories

Name Agency Type Proposed
launch date 		Status Proposed location Ref(s)
X-Ray Evolving Universe Spectroscopy Mission (XEUS) ESA X-ray Merged into IXO – [11]
Constellation-X NASA X-ray –
International X-ray Observatory (IXO) NASA & ESA & JAXA X-ray No funding 2011; rebooted as ATHENA – [12]
Exoplanetary Circumstellar Environments and Disk Explorer (EXCEDE) NASA ? 2016 – Sun-synchronous Earth orbit, 2000 km [13][14]
SIM Lite Astrometric Observatory NASA ? 2015 No funding 2010 – [15]
Darwin Mission ESA ? – – Sun-Earth L2 Lagrange point [16]
Terrestrial Planet Finder NASA ? TBA No funding 2011 – [17]
Dark Universe Observatory NASA ? Superseded by Roman/WFIRST Earth orbit (600 km) [18][19]
Joint Dark Energy Mission NASA & DOE ? – [20]
Astromag Free-Flyer (Particles) NASA ? 1 January 2005 – Earth orbit (500 km) [21][22]
VSOP-2 (Astro-G) (Radio) JAXA ? 2012 Cancelled 2011 – [23]
SAFIR NASA far infrared Superseded by Origins Sun-Earth L2 Lagrange point ref?

Additional examples and non-space telescopes

For launch in the 2030s, NASA is evaluating four possible designs: the Origins Space Telescope, Lynx X-ray Surveyor, Habitable Exoplanet Imaging Mission (HabEx), and Large UV Optical Infrared Surveyor (LUVOIR).[24]

Balloon-borne telescopes have been in use since the 1950s. A 20–30 meter balloon telescope has been suggested.[25] The balloon would be transparent on one side, and have a circular reflecting mirror on the other side.[25] There are two main designs using this principle.[25]

  • Large Balloon Reflector (LBR) (sub-orbital version)
  • Space-based Large Balloon Reflector (LBR)
    • TeraHertz Space Telescope (TST)[26]

Additional examples

8 meter segmented LUVOIR-B (formerly ATLAST) telescope
ATLAST produced several versions for the LUVOIR telescope

Design studies

Calisto architecture for SAFIR.[35] This shows a design concept for a deep infrared space telescope harnessing JWST technology, for the SAFIR program.

Four NASA Design studies from 2018:[36]

Various proposals or concepts for high-energy light observatories (circa 2010s):[37]

  • AdEPT: Advanced Energetic Pair Telescope: pair production telescope concept for gamma-ray polarimetry
  • AEGIS: Astrophysics Experiment for Grating and Imaging Spectroscopy, soft X-ray spectrometer.
  • APT: Advanced Pair Telescope
  • Arcus, X-ray spectrometer concept for International Space Station
  • ASCOT: Advanced Scintillator Compton Telescope
  • A-STAR: All-Sky Transient Astrophysics Explorer
  • Athena, an X-ray observatory
  • AXSIO: Advanced X-ray Spectroscopic Imaging Observatory
  • AXTAR: Advanced X-Ray Timing Array, X-ray timing mission
  • BEST: Black Hole Evolution and Space-Time Observatory (include deep hard X-ray imaging (5 – 70 keV))
  • BHI: Black Hole Imager
  • Black Hole Finder
  • CASTER: Coded Aperture Survey Telescope for Energetic Radiation
  • EDGE: Explorer of Diffuse emission and Gamma ray burst Explosions
  • EPE: Extreme Physics Explorer
  • EREXS: Epoch of Reionization Energetic X-ray Survey
  • EXIST: Energetic X-ray Imaging Survey Telescope
  • Gen-X: The Generation X-Ray Mission
  • GRAVITAS: General Relativistic Astrophysics Via Timing and Spectroscopy
  • HEX-P: High-Energy X-ray Probe
  • INSIST: Indian Spectroscopic Imaging Space Telescope (UV)[38]
  • ISS-Lobster
  • IXPE: Imaging X-ray Polarimetry Explorer (launched Dec 2021)
  • MIRAX: Monitor e Imageador de Raios X
  • NHXM: New Hard X-ray Mission
  • Pharos
  • PheniX, focussing X-ray telescope concept
  • PRAXyS: Polarimetry of Relativistic X-ray Sources
  • SAHARA: Spectral Analysis with High Angular Resolution Astronomy
  • SMART-X: Square Meter, Arcsecond Resolution X-ray Telescope
  • Tsubame, micro-satellite for X-ray polarimetry
  • WhimEx: Warm-Hot Inter-Galactic Medium Explorer
  • WFXIS: Wide-Field X-ray Imaging Spectrometer
  • WFXT: Wide-Field X-ray Telescope
  • Xenia: a Probe of Cosmic Chemical Evolution
  • XIPE: the X-ray Imaging Polarimetry Explorer (ESA)
  • X-Ray Surveyor

Gallery

See also

References

  1. ↑ "The TOLIMAN mission: precision astrometry for exoplanetary discovery in the solar neighborhood". https://indico.ict.inaf.it/event/726/attachments/1414/2686/TOLIMAN_Science-4.pdf. 
  2. ↑ Jones, Andrew (28 February 2023). "China to expand its space station, international astronaut selection underway". SpaceNews. https://spacenews.com/china-to-expand-its-space-station-international-astronaut-selection-underway/. 
  3. ↑ "Flagship Chinese Space Telescope to Unravel Cosmic Mysteries". Chinese Academy of Sciences. 7 May 2022. https://english.cas.cn/newsroom/cas_media/202205/t20220507_305162.shtml. 
  4. ↑ "NASA Awards Launch Services Contract for Roman Space Telescope". NASA (Press release). 19 July 2022. Retrieved 19 July 2022.
  5. ↑ Balzer, Ashley (9 November 2021). "NASA's Roman Mission Will Help Empower a New Era of Cosmological Discovery". NASA. https://www.nasa.gov/feature/goddard/2021/nasa-s-roman-mission-will-help-empower-a-new-era-of-cosmological-discovery. 
  6. ↑ Concept design of the LiteBIRD satellite for CMB B-mode polarization. Y. Sekimoto; P. Ade; K. Arnold; J. Aumont; J. Austermann, etal. Proceedings Volume 10698, Space Telescopes and Instrumentation 2018: Optical, Infrared, and Millimeter Wave; 106981Y (2018) doi:10.1117/12.2313432 Event: SPIE Astronomical Telescopes + Instrumentation, 9 August 2018, Austin, Texas, United States.
  7. ↑ Zak, Anatoly (30 December 2022). "Spektr-UF | Russian ultraviolet astronomy's long road to space". RussianSpaceWeb. https://www.russianspaceweb.com/spektr_uf.html. 
  8. ↑ "LISA | Mission Summary". ESA. 8 November 2021. https://sci.esa.int/web/lisa/-/61367-mission-summary. 
  9. ↑ "Isro plans to launch India's 2nd space observatory". The Times of India. 19 February 2018. https://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/home/science/isro-plans-to-launch-indias-2nd-space-observatory/articleshow/62975636.cms. 
  10. ↑ 10.0 10.1 10.2 Bruce Dominey (27 January 2023). "After Webb? NASA Is Already Planning New Great Space Observatories". Forbes. https://www.forbes.com/sites/brucedorminey/2023/01/27/after-webb-nasa-is-already-planning-new-great-space-observatories/?sh=1519ae551b6b. Retrieved 27 January 2023. 
  11. ↑ "KEUS – The X-Ray Evolving Universe Spectroscopy Mission". ESA. http://www.rssd.esa.int/index.php?project=xeus. 
  12. ↑ "Official NASA IXO Home Page". NASA. http://ixo.gsfc.nasa.gov/. 
  13. ↑ "EXCEDE Home Page". University of Arizona. http://soweb.as.arizona.edu/~gschneider/EXCEDE_OVERVIEW.html. 
  14. ↑ "EXCEDE the Search for Planets". Astrobiology Magazine. 17 February 2012. http://www.astrobio.net/pressrelease/4574/excede-the-search-for-planets. 
  15. ↑ "SIM Lite JPL". NASA. http://sim.jpl.nasa.gov. 
  16. ↑ "ESA Science & Technology: Darwin". ESA. http://sci.esa.int/science-e/www/area/index.cfm?fareaid=28. 
  17. ↑ "Planet Quest: Missions – Terrestrial Planet Finder". NASA. http://planetquest.jpl.nasa.gov/TPF/tpf_index.cfm. 
  18. ↑ "Dark Universe Observatory". Sonoma State University. http://epo.sonoma.edu/duo/index.html. 
  19. ↑ "Dark Universe Observatory – About the Launch Vehicle and Orbit". Sonoma State University. http://epo.sonoma.edu/duo/observatory/obslaunch.html. 
  20. ↑ "Destiny JDEM Mission Public Page". National Optical Astronomy Observatory. http://www.noao.edu/noao/staff/lauer/destiny.htm. 
  21. ↑ "NASA – NSSD – Spacecraft – Trajectory Details (Astromag FF)". NASA. https://nssdc.gsfc.nasa.gov/nmc/spacecraft/display.action?id=ASTRMAG. 
  22. ↑ "NASA – NSSDC – Spacecraft – Details (Astromag-F)". NASA. https://nssdc.gsfc.nasa.gov/nmc/spacecraft/display.action?id=ASTRMAG. 
  23. ↑ "VSOP-2 project". JAXA. http://www.vsop.isas.jaxa.jp/vsop2/. 
  24. ↑ Scoles, Sarah. "NASA Considers Its Next Flagship Space Telescope". http://www.scientificamerican.com/article/nasa-considers-its-next-flagship-space-telescope/. 
  25. ↑ 25.0 25.1 25.2 Hall, Loura (3 May 2016). "Ballooning Expectations: New Approach for Astronomy". https://www.nasa.gov/feature/ballooning-expectations-new-approach-for-astronomy. 
  26. ↑ Dunn, Marina Madeline; Lesser, David; O'Dougherty, Stephan; Swift, Brandon; Pat, Terrance; Cortez, German; Smith, Steve; Goldsmith, Paul et al. (January 2017). "TeraHertz Space Telescope (TST)" (in en). AAS 229: 238.30. Bibcode: 2017AAS...22923830D. 
  27. ↑ 27.0 27.1 "Habitable Exoplanet Observatory (HabEx)". https://www.jpl.nasa.gov/habex/. 
  28. ↑ University of Arizona (2 August 2019). "A new lens for life-searching space telescopes - University of Arizona researchers have designed a new kind of telescope that is a cheaper, lighter and more powerful option than creating telescopes using ever-larger mirrors. With a fleet of the newly designed space telescopes, they aim to scour a thousand potentially earth-like planets for signs of life.". EurekAlert!. https://www.eurekalert.org/pub_releases/2019-08/uoa-anl080219.php. 
  29. ↑ Apai, Dániel; Milster, Tom D.; Kim, Dae Wook; Bixel, Alex; Schneider, Glenn; Liang, Ronguang; Arenberg, Jonathan (29 July 2019). "A Thousand Earths: A Very Large Aperture, Ultralight Space Telescope Array for Atmospheric Biosignature Surveys". The Astronomical Journal 158 (2): 83. doi:10.3847/1538-3881/ab2631. Bibcode: 2019AJ....158...83A. 
  30. ↑ Apai, D. (2018). "Nautilus DeepSpace Observatory: A Giant Segmented Space Telescope Array for a Galactic Biosignature Survey". Universities Space Research Association. https://www.hou.usra.edu/meetings/deepspace2018/pdf/3127.pdf. 
  31. ↑ "M. Wong, et al. – A Dedicated Space Observatory for Time-domain Solar System Science". http://www.lpi.usra.edu/decadal/opag/wong_PDX090727.pdf. 
  32. ↑ "Space Telescopes". http://www.spacefab.us/space-telescopes.html. 
  33. ↑ "NASA Considers Sending a Telescope to Outer Solar System - Universe Today". 19 December 2011. http://www.universetoday.com/91947/nasa-considers-sending-a-telescope-to-the-outer-solar-system/. 
  34. ↑ "ZEBRA". http://zebra.caltech.edu/. 
  35. ↑ "SAFIR - Technologies". http://safir.jpl.nasa.gov/technologies.shtml. 
  36. ↑ Clery, Daniel (2018-12-12). "NASA is planning four of the largest space telescopes ever. But which one will fly?" (in en). https://www.science.org/content/article/nasa-planning-four-largest-space-telescopes-ever-which-one-will-fly. 
  37. ↑ "Concepts for Future High Energy Astrophysics Future Missions". https://heasarc.gsfc.nasa.gov/docs/heasarc/missions/concepts.html. 
  38. ↑ "INSIST: A proposed Wide-Field, UV-Optical, Imaging and Spectroscopic Space Telescope". Modern engineering trends in astronomy. 2019. https://conf1.ncra.tifr.res.in/event/4/contributions/274/contribution.pdf. 

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