The Life Space Telescope has successfully passed its initial tests, marking a significant milestone in the search for biosigns on exoplanets. Developed by the Federal Technological Institute in Zurich, the telescope aims to detect chemical compounds indicative of life on distant planets.
Unlike the James Webb Telescope, which has limited observation time due to various tasks, the Life Space Telescope is specifically designed to focus on searching for biosigns on exoplanets. With its ability to observe in the average infrared range, the telescope can detect important chemical compounds like ozone, methane, and nitrogen oxide.
Positioned at the L2 Lagrange point, approximately 1.5 million kilometers away from Earth, the Life telescope comprises five separate telescopes. This strategic location enables it to observe exoplanets and search for potential biosigns. Professor Sasha Kwantz, leading the Life initiative at Eth Zurich, emphasized the goal of identifying chemical compounds that could indicate the presence of life on exoplanets.
During the testing phase, researchers used Earth’s atmosphere as a simulated scenario to assess Life’s ability to detect biosigns. The results demonstrated that the telescope could successfully identify CO2, water, ozone, methane, and surface conditions hinting at liquid water, regardless of the Earth’s angle. This bodes well for future observations of exoplanets, where angles of observation are unpredictable.
Published in the astronomical journal, the findings revealed that Life could complete observations in just a few days for certain targets, although others might require up to 100 days. This efficiency positions the telescope as a promising tool for systematically detecting biospheres on nearby exoplanets. While Life is currently a potential mission, its early successes hold great promise for the exploration of exoplanetary environments.