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The Darwin space interferometer and the search for life in space
Alan Penny (RAL)
The European Space Agency is planning to launch, in the 2010-2012
timeframe, a 5 - 25 um interferometer working with baselines up to
500 metres. This novel space mission is targeted especially at
the detection and spectroscopic study of planets orbiting nearby
stars, including the search for life signatures on any Earth-like
planets found. It will also be used to provide unprecedented spatial
resolution and sensitivity for general astrophysical objects in this
wavelength regime. The status of the mission design is presented and
its capabilities discussed.
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