ESA’s first mission to study exoplanets is about to start its science
operations after successfully completed its in-orbit commissioning phase.
CHEOPS
(CHaracterising ExOPlanet Satellite) launched from Europe’s spaceport in French
Guiana on 18 December 2019. Since then the telescope cover opened and targeted
its first star.
Now that the
spacecraft, telescope’s optical performance, detectors and electronics are all
working as planned, the telescope will study hundreds of known exoplanets
orbiting bright stars.
CHEOPS will use
the transit method – measuring the minute dip in light as a planet transits its
parent star.
CHEOPS is a
small or S class mission developed, within budget and in less than five years,
as a partnership between Switzerland and ESA’s Science Programme, with
important contributions from Austria, Belgium, France, Germany, Hungary, Italy,
Portugal, Spain, Sweden and the United Kingdom.
The science
mission will continue until October 2023 and will expand our understanding of
exoplanets and the universe we live in.
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