[ad_1]
The launch of the European Ariel mission, to characterize the atmospheres of exoplanets, and in which Portugal participates, has been postponed to 2029, the European Space Agency (ESA) announced today, which confirmed the mission on Thursday.
In 2018, Ariel, who plans to send a telescope into space, was selected by ESA as one of the “middle class” science missions. At the time, the expected launch date was 2028.
On Thursday, ESA confirmed the mission’s adoption at a Scientific Program Committee meeting, sending its launch to 2029, according to a statement released today by the space agency, which adds that the consortium that will build the telescope in the summer will be chosen. of 2021.
Portugal participates scientifically in the Ariel mission through the Institute of Astrophysics and Space Sciences (AI), where astrophysicist Pedro Machado takes over the coordination of the national delegation.
In a statement released today, the AI stresses that this is ESA’s first mission “dedicated to measuring the chemical composition and thermal properties” of the atmosphere of about a thousand gaseous and rocky planets outside the Solar System “, since extremely hot to seasoned climate “.
In previous statements in Lusa, Pedro Machado, a specialist in the study of planetary systems, said the mission could mean “an interruption in the way of looking at the Universe”, as it will focus on the atmosphere of exoplanets with the conditions for having water. liquid on its surface. Water is a fundamental element for life as it is known.
Pedro Machado said that “unbalanced chemical elements” will also be sought in the atmospheres of these exoplanets, and that they are considered biomarkers of life, such as oxygen, methane, ammonia, ozone or carbon monoxide.
The AI will also collaborate in the construction of models of planetary atmospheres that can “help in the interpretation” of the information collected and “in the observation strategies of exoplanets”, indicated the scientist.
The Institute of Astrophysics and Space Sciences, which ESA has invited to join Ariel, will also build instrumentation components and test them.
Other components will be built in a partnership to be established between the AI and the Portuguese space industry.
The telescope, which will operate at visible and infrared wavelengths, will be launched into space on the new European Ariane 6 rocket, from ESA’s port in Kourou, French Guiana.
The mission, which will have an initial duration of four years, will also study the cloud systems and seasonal and daily atmospheric variations of a number of planets.
On board Ariane 6 there will also be a probe that will try to intercept for the first time a primitive comet, unaffected by the Sun’s radiation, to get answers on the origin of life on Earth.
The Portuguese astrobiologist Zita Martins participates in this European mission, Comet Interceptor (Comet Interceptor), who will analyze the data collected.
.
[ad_2]
Source link
