Advancing European high-contrast imaging R&D towards the Habitable Worlds Observatory

Abstract The Habitable Worlds Observatory (HWO) will enable a transformative leap in the direct imaging and characterization of Earth-like exoplanets. For this, NASA is focusing on early investment in technology development prior to mission definition and actively seeking international partnerships earlier than for previous missions. The “R&D for Space-Based HCI in Europe” workshop, held in March 2024 at Paris Observatory, convened leading experts in high-contrast imaging (HCI) to discuss European expertise and explore potential strategies for European contributions to HWO. This paper synthesizes the discussions and outcomes of the workshop, highlighting Europe’s critical contributions to past and current HCI efforts, the synergies between ground- and space-based technologies, and the importance of laboratory testbeds and collaborative funding mechanisms. Key conclusions include the need for Europe to invest in technology development for areas such as deformable mirrors and advanced detectors, and establish or enhance laboratory facilities for system-level testing. Putting emphasis on the urgency of aligning with the timeline of HWO, the participants called on an open affirmation by the European Space Agency (ESA) that a European contribution to HWO is clearly anticipated, to signal national agencies and unlock funding opportunities at the national level. Based on the expertise demonstrated through R&D, Europe is poised to play a pivotal role in advancing global HCI capabilities, contributing to the characterization of temperate exoplanets and fostering innovation across domains.

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Publication Details

Journal
Astrophysics and Space Science
Published
2025-03-01
DOI
https://doi.org/10.1007/s10509-025-04417-8
Primary Topic
Stellar, planetary, and galactic studies
Type
article
Field-Weighted Citation Impact
0.00

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article

Advancing European high-contrast imaging R&D towards the Habitable Worlds Observatory

Laurent M. Mugnier, Sasha Hinkley, David Doelman, Marc Ferrari et al.
Astrophysics and Space Science
Stellar, planetary, and galactic studies
article

Advancing European high-contrast imaging R&D towards the Habitable Worlds Observatory

Laurent M. Mugnier, Sasha Hinkley, David Doelman, Marc Ferrari, Élodie Choquet, Alexis Carlotti, Romain Laugier, D. Mesa, Pieter de Visser, Elsa Huby, Daniele Vassallo, Lucie Leboulleux, M. Min, Beth Biller, Alexis K.H. Lau, Mikael Karlsson, Olivier Absil, G. Chauvin, Kjetil Dohlen, Frans Snik, Gilles Orban de Xivry, Axel Potier, Elisabeth C. Matthews, Iva Laginja, A. Boccaletti, A. Vigan, Óscar Carrión-González, O. Krause, Johan Mazoyer, David Mouillet, Jonas Kühn, Pierre Baudoz, Wolfgang Brandner, Jean-Michel Le Duigou
article en

Abstract

Abstract The Habitable Worlds Observatory (HWO) will enable a transformative leap in the direct imaging and characterization of Earth-like exoplanets. For this, NASA is focusing on early investment in technology development prior to mission definition and actively seeking international partnerships earlier than for previous missions. The “R&D for Space-Based HCI in Europe” workshop, held in March 2024 at Paris Observatory, convened leading experts in high-contrast imaging (HCI) to discuss European expertise and explore potential strategies for European contributions to HWO. This paper synthesizes the discussions and outcomes of the workshop, highlighting Europe’s critical contributions to past and current HCI efforts, the synergies between ground- and space-based technologies, and the importance of laboratory testbeds and collaborative funding mechanisms. Key conclusions include the need for Europe to invest in technology development for areas such as deformable mirrors and advanced detectors, and establish or enhance laboratory facilities for system-level testing. Putting emphasis on the urgency of aligning with the timeline of HWO, the participants called on an open affirmation by the European Space Agency (ESA) that a European contribution to HWO is clearly anticipated, to signal national agencies and unlock funding opportunities at the national level. Based on the expertise demonstrated through R&D, Europe is poised to play a pivotal role in advancing global HCI capabilities, contributing to the characterization of temperate exoplanets and fostering innovation across domains.

Astrophysics and Space ScienceVol. 370(3)
Leiden University (NL), Uppsala University (SE), Centre National de la Recherche Scientifique (FR), University of Liège (BE), Université Paris Cité (FR), Aix-Marseille Université (FR), University of Exeter (GB), Université Paris-Saclay (FR), Centre National d'Études Spatiales (FR), Observatoire de Paris (FR), Sorbonne Université (FR), Sorbonne Paris Cité (FR), Laboratoire d’Astrophysique de Marseille (FR), Royal Observatory (GB), Max Planck Institute for Astronomy (DE), Château Gombert (FR), Laboratoire d’études spatiales et d’instrumentation en astrophysique (FR), Institute of Astronomy (RU), Fonctionnement et Conduite des Systèmes de Culture Tropicaux et Méditerranéens (FR), Observatoire de la Côte d’Azur (FR), Institute of Applied Physics (MD), Osservatorio Astronomico di Padova (IT), LIRA - Laboratoire d'instrumentation et de recherche en astrophysique (FR), Space Research Organisation Netherlands (NL), Université Grenoble Alpes (FR), University of Edinburgh (GB), KU Leuven (BE)
European Space Agency, European Commission, Fonds De La Recherche Scientifique - FNRS, Centre National d’Etudes Spatiales, Fonds Wetenschappelijk Onderzoek, Centre National de la Recherche Scientifique, Vlaamse regering, HORIZON EUROPE Framework Programme, Horizon 2020
Openalex Percentile: Top 96%
Stellar, planetary, and galactic studies
DOIOpen Access PDFOpenAlex
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