Exo-C: a probe-scale space mission to directly image and spectroscopically characterize exoplanetary systems using an internal coronagraph

Karl R. Stapelfeldt; Michael P. Brenner; Keith R. Warfield; Frank G. Dekens; Ruslan Belikov; Paul B. Brugarolas; Geoffrey Bryden; Kerri L. Cahoy; Supriya Chakrabarti; Serge Dubovitsky; Robert T. Effinger; Brian Hirsch; Andrew Kissil; John E. Krist; Jared J. Lang; Mark S Marley; Michael W. McElwain; Victoria S. Meadows; Joel Nissen; Jeffrey M. Oseas; Eugene Serabyn; Eric Sunada; John T. Trauger; Stephen C. Unwin

doi:10.1117/12.2057115

28 August 2014 Exo-C: a probe-scale space mission to directly image and spectroscopically characterize exoplanetary systems using an internal coronagraph

Karl R. Stapelfeldt, Michael P. Brenner, Keith R. Warfield, Frank G. Dekens, Ruslan Belikov, Paul B. Brugarolas, Geoffrey Bryden, Kerri L. Cahoy, Supriya Chakrabarti, Serge Dubovitsky, Robert T. Effinger, Brian Hirsch, Andrew Kissil, John E. Krist, Jared J. Lang, Mark S Marley, Michael W. McElwain, Victoria S. Meadows, Joel Nissen, Jeffrey M. Oseas, Eugene Serabyn, Eric Sunada, John T. Trauger, Stephen C. Unwin

Author Affiliations +

Proceedings Volume 9143, Space Telescopes and Instrumentation 2014: Optical, Infrared, and Millimeter Wave; 91432K (2014) https://doi.org/10.1117/12.2057115
Event: SPIE Astronomical Telescopes + Instrumentation, 2014, Montréal, Quebec, Canada

Abstract

“Exo-C” is NASA’s first community study of a modest aperture space telescope designed for high contrast observations of exoplanetary systems. The mission will be capable of taking optical spectra of nearby exoplanets in reflected light, discover previously undetected planets, and imaging structure in a large sample of circumstellar disks. It will obtain unique science results on planets down to super-Earth sizes and serve as a technology pathfinder toward an eventual flagship-class mission to find and characterize habitable exoplanets. We present the mission/payload design and highlight steps to reduce mission cost/risk relative to previous mission concepts. At the study conclusion in 2015, NASA will evaluate it for potential development at the end of this decade.

Citation Download Citation

Karl R. Stapelfeldt, Michael P. Brenner, Keith R. Warfield, Frank G. Dekens, Ruslan Belikov, Paul B. Brugarolas, Geoffrey Bryden, Kerri L. Cahoy, Supriya Chakrabarti, Serge Dubovitsky, Robert T. Effinger, Brian Hirsch, Andrew Kissil, John E. Krist, Jared J. Lang, Mark S Marley, Michael W. McElwain, Victoria S. Meadows, Joel Nissen, Jeffrey M. Oseas, Eugene Serabyn, Eric Sunada, John T. Trauger, and Stephen C. Unwin "Exo-C: a probe-scale space mission to directly image and spectroscopically characterize exoplanetary systems using an internal coronagraph", Proc. SPIE 9143, Space Telescopes and Instrumentation 2014: Optical, Infrared, and Millimeter Wave, 91432K (28 August 2014); https://doi.org/10.1117/12.2057115

ACCESS THE FULL ARTICLE

INSTITUTIONAL
Select your institution to access the SPIE Digital Library.

SELECT YOUR INSTITUTION

PERSONAL
Sign in with your SPIE account to access your personal subscriptions or to use specific features such as save to my library, sign up for alerts, save searches, etc.

PERSONAL SIGN IN

No SPIE Account? Create one

PURCHASE THIS CONTENT

SUBSCRIBE TO DIGITAL LIBRARY

50 downloads per 1-year subscription

Members: $195

Non-members: $335 ADD TO CART

25 downloads per 1 - year subscription

Members: $145

Non-members: $250 ADD TO CART

PURCHASE SINGLE ARTICLE

Includes PDF, HTML & Video, when available