List of proposed space telescopes explained

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

NameAgencyTypeProposed
launch date		StatusProposed location Ref(s)
align=left visible 2024 Proposal [1]
align=left ultraviolet, visible, infrared 2026 under construction [2]
align=left 2026 Under construction
align=left Nancy Grace Roman Space Telescope (formerly WFIRST)2026-2027 confirmed and named 2020 [3] [4]
align=left Spektr-UV (WSO-UV) ultraviolet 2030 funded [5] [6]
align=left 2032 Approved for development [7] [8]
align=left AXIS (Advanced X-Ray Imaging Satellite) X-Ray 2032 early planning [9]
align=left gravitational waves 2033 phase 1 of 3-phase development completed [10] [11]
align=left Laser Interferometer Space Antenna (LISA) gravitational waves 2037 Approved for development Solar Earth-trailing orbit (approx. 1 AU) [12]
align=left AstroSat-2Near Ultraviolet, Far Ultraviolet, Visible TBD – [13]
align=left Habitable Worlds Observatory (HWO) Ultraviolet, Visible, Infrared 2041 early planning 'Phase 1' [14]
align=left X-Ray Great Observatory (nicknamed Fire)X-Ray 2047 early planning 'Phase 1'
align=left Far-Infrared Great Observatory (nicknamed Smoke)Far-Infrared 2051 early planning 'Phase 1'
Galileo Solar Space TelescopeINPEVisible andultraviolet?Admission process at AEBLow Earth orbit orGeostationary orbit[15] [16]

Merged, cancelled, or superseded space observatories

NameAgencyTypeProposed
launch date		StatusProposed location Ref(s)
align=left X-Ray Evolving Universe Spectroscopy Mission (XEUS) X-ray Merged into IXO – [17]
align=left X-ray –
align=left International X-ray Observatory (IXO) NASA & ESA & JAXA X-ray – [18]
align=left Exoplanetary Circumstellar Environments and Disk Explorer (EXCEDE) ? 2016 – Sun-synchronous Earth orbit, 2000 km [19] [20]
align=left ? 2015 No funding 2010 – [21]
align=left ? – – [22]
align=left ? TBA No funding 2011 – [23]
align=left ? Superseded by Roman/WFIRST Earth orbit (600 km) [24] [25]
align=left ? – [26]
align=left Astromag Free-Flyer (Particles) ? 1 January 2005 – Earth orbit (500 km) [27] [28]
align=left VSOP-2 (Astro-G) (Radio) ? 2012 Cancelled 2011 – [29]
align=left NASAref?

Additional examples and non-space telescopes

For launch in the 2030s, NASA is evaluating four possible designs: the Origins Space Telescope, Lynx X-ray Observatory, Habitable Exoplanets Observatory (HabEx), and Large UV Optical Infrared Surveyor (LUVOIR).[30]

Balloon-borne telescopes have been in use since the 1950s. A 20–30 meter balloon telescope has been suggested.[31] The balloon would be transparent on one side, and have a circular reflecting mirror on the other side. There are two main designs using this principle.

Additional examples

See also

External links

Notes and References

  1. Web site: The TOLIMAN mission: precision astrometry for exoplanetary discovery in the solar neighborhood. live. 2021-11-20. 2021-11-17. https://web.archive.org/web/20211117120408/https://indico.ict.inaf.it/event/726/attachments/1414/2686/TOLIMAN_Science-4.pdf.
  2. Web site: China's giant Xuntian space telescope faces further delay until late 2026. South China Morning Post. 16 May 2024. 23 June 2024.
  3. NASA Awards Launch Services Contract for Roman Space Telescope . . 19 July 2022 . 19 July 2022.
  4. Web site: Balzer . Ashley . NASA's Roman Mission Will Help Empower a New Era of Cosmological Discovery . . 9 November 2021 . 10 November 2021.
  5. Web site: В Институте астрономии РАН заявили, что обсерваторию "Спектр-УФ" не запустят до 2030 года . The Institute of Astronomy of the Russian Academy of Sciences said that the Spektr-UV observatory will not be launched until 2030 . . 21 December 2023 . 27 December 2023 . ru.
  6. Web site: Zak . Anatoly . Spektr-UF Russian ultraviolet astronomy's long road to space . RussianSpaceWeb . 30 December 2022 . 12 March 2023.
  7. Web site: The origin of the Universe will be unveiled by the LiteBIRD cryogenic satellite . . 3 July 2023 . 26 December 2023.
  8. https://www.spiedigitallibrary.org/conference-proceedings-of-spie/10698/106981Y/Concept-design-of-the-LiteBIRD-satellite-for-CMB-B-mode/10.1117/12.2313432.short Concept design of the LiteBIRD satellite for CMB B-mode polarization
  9. Book: UV, X-Ray, and Gamma-Ray Space Instrumentation for Astronomy XXIII . Overview of the advanced x-ray imaging satellite (AXIS) . 1 Nov 2023 . 10.1117/12.2677468 . 2311.00780 . Reynolds . Christopher . Kara . Erin . Mushotzky . Richard F. . Ptak . Andrew . Koss . Michael J. . Williams . Brian J. . Allen . Steven W. . Bauer . Franz E. . Bautz . Marshall . Bogadhee . Arash . Burdge . Kevin B. . Cappelluti . Nico . Cenko . Brad . Chartas . George . Chan . Kai-Wing . Corrales . Lia . Daylan . Tansu . Falcone . Abe D. . Foord . Adi . Grant . Catherine E. . Habouzit . Melanie . Haggard . Daryl . Herrmann . Sven . Hodges-Kluck . Edmund . Kargaltsev . Oleg . King . George W. . Kounkel . Marina . Lopez . Laura A. . Marchesi . Stefano . McDonald . Michael . 49 . 978-1-5106-6570-5 . Oswald H. . Keri . Siegmund . Hoadley . 1 .
  10. Cyranoski . David . Chinese gravitational-wave hunt hits crunch time. Nature. 9 March 2016. 531 . 7593 . 150–151 . 10.1038/531150a . 26961634 . 2016Natur.531..150C . 23 June 2024.
  11. China's first step towards probing the expanding universe and the nature of gravity using a space borne gravitational wave antenna. Nature. 24 February 2021. 10.1038/s42005-021-00529-z . Wu . Yue-Liang . Luo . Zi-Ren . Wang . Jian-Yu . Bai . Meng . Bian . Wei . Cai . Rong-Gen . Cai . Zhi-Ming . Cao . Jin . Chen . Di-Jun . Chen . Ling . Chen . Li-Sheng . Chen . Ming-Wei . Chen . Wei-Biao . Chen . Ze-Yi . Cong . Lin-Xiao . Deng . Jian-Feng . Dong . Xiao-Long . Duan . Li . Fan . Sen-Quan . Fan . Shou-Shan . Fang . Chao . Fang . Yuan . Feng . Ke . Feng . Pan . Feng . Zhun . Gao . Rui-Hong . Gao . Run-Lian . Guo . Zong-Kuan . He . Jian-Wu . He . Ji-Bo . Communications Physics . 4 . 1 . 34 . 2021CmPhy...4...34T . 1 . free .
  12. Web site: LISA Mission Summary . . 8 November 2021 . 10 November 2021.
  13. News: Isro plans to launch India's 2nd space observatory. The Times of India. 19 February 2018.
  14. News: Bruce Dominey. After Webb? NASA Is Already Planning New Great Space Observatories. . 27 January 2023 . 27 January 2023 .
  15. Carlesso . Franciele . Rodríguez Gómez . Jenny Marcela . Barbosa . Adriany Rodrigues . Antunes Vieira . Luis Eduardo . Dal Lago . Alisson . 2022-06-24 . Solar Irradiance Variability Monitor for the Galileo Solar Space Telescope Mission: Concept and Challenges . Frontiers in Physics . 10 . 10.3389/fphy.2022.869738 . free . 2022FrP....10.9738C . 2296-424X.
  16. Web site: 2023-12-07 . ProSAME . 2024-07-22 . 2 . pt-br.
  17. Web site: KEUS – The X-Ray Evolving Universe Spectroscopy Mission . ESA . 2008-02-28.
  18. Web site: Official NASA IXO Home Page . NASA . 2008-02-28 . 14 August 2012 . https://web.archive.org/web/20120814083958/http://ixo.gsfc.nasa.gov/ . dead .
  19. Web site: EXCEDE Home Page . University of Arizona . 2012-02-23 . https://web.archive.org/web/20120219124021/http://soweb.as.arizona.edu/%7Egschneider/EXCEDE_OVERVIEW.html . 2012-02-19 . dead .
  20. Web site: EXCEDE the Search for Planets. 17 February 2012. Astrobiology Magazine . 2012-02-23 . usurped . https://web.archive.org/web/20120502065525/http://www.astrobio.net/pressrelease/4574/excede-the-search-for-planets . 2012-05-02.
  21. Web site: SIM Lite JPL. NASA. 2009-03-19. dead. https://web.archive.org/web/20070116003158/http://sim.jpl.nasa.gov/. 2007-01-16.
  22. Web site: ESA Science & Technology: Darwin . ESA . 2008-02-28.
  23. Web site: Planet Quest: Missions – Terrestrial Planet Finder . NASA . 2008-03-03 . dead . https://web.archive.org/web/20080218101411/http://planetquest.jpl.nasa.gov/TPF/tpf_index.cfm . 2008-02-18 .
  24. Web site: Dark Universe Observatory . https://web.archive.org/web/20041205073418/http://epo.sonoma.edu/duo/index.html . dead . 2004-12-05 . . 2008-02-29 .
  25. Web site: Dark Universe Observatory – About the Launch Vehicle and Orbit . https://web.archive.org/web/20041205173037/http://epo.sonoma.edu/duo/observatory/obslaunch.html . dead . 2004-12-05 . Sonoma State University . 2008-02-29 .
  26. Web site: Destiny JDEM Mission Public Page . . 2008-02-28.
  27. Web site: NASA – NSSD – Spacecraft – Trajectory Details (Astromag FF) . NASA . 2008-02-27.
  28. Web site: NASA – NSSDC – Spacecraft – Details (Astromag-F) . NASA . 2008-02-27.
  29. Web site: VSOP-2 project. JAXA . 2008-02-28.
  30. Web site: Scoles. Sarah. NASA Considers Its Next Flagship Space Telescope. 2016-03-31. Scientific American.
  31. Web site: Hall. Loura. 3 May 2016. Ballooning Expectations: New Approach for Astronomy. 11 August 2017. Nasa.gov.
  32. Dunn. Marina Madeline. Lesser. David. O'Dougherty. Stephan. Swift. Brandon. Pat. Terrance. Cortez. German. Smith. Steve. Goldsmith. Paul. Walker. Christopher K.. January 2017. TeraHertz Space Telescope (TST). AAS. en. 229. 238.30. 2017AAS...22923830D.
  33. Web site: Habitable Exoplanet Observatory (HabEx). www.jpl.nasa.gov. 2019-10-09.
  34. News: University of Arizona . 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. . 2 August 2019 . . 5 August 2019 . University of Arizona .
  35. A Thousand Earths: A Very Large Aperture, Ultralight Space Telescope Array for Atmospheric Biosignature Surveys . 29 July 2019 . . 158 . 83 . 2 . 10.3847/1538-3881/ab2631 . Apai . Dániel . Milster . Tom D. . Kim . Dae Wook . Bixel . Alex . Schneider . Glenn . Liang . Ronguang . Arenberg . Jonathan . 1906.05079 . 2019AJ....158...83A . 10150/634070 . 186206769 . free . free .
  36. Web site: Apai, D. . et al. . Nautilus DeepSpace Observatory: A Giant Segmented Space Telescope Array for a Galactic Biosignature Survey . 2018 . . 5 August 2019 .
  37. Web site: M. Wong, et al. – A Dedicated Space Observatory for Time-domain Solar System Science. Lpi.usra.edu. 11 August 2017.
  38. Web site: Space Telescopes.
  39. Web site: NASA Considers Sending a Telescope to Outer Solar System - Universe Today. 19 December 2011. Universitytoday.com. 11 August 2017.
  40. Web site: ZEBRA. Zebra.caltech.edu. 11 August 2017. dead. https://web.archive.org/web/20120923034424/http://zebra.caltech.edu/. 23 September 2012.

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