In the future interstellar exploration at near-relativistic speeds will be possible using beamed energy laser propulsion.
astro-ph.IM
Posted inAstronomy & Telescopes, Atmospheres, Climate, Weather, Biosignatures & Paleobiology, Exoplanets, -moons, -comets, Habitable Zones, Imaging & Spectroscopy, Status Report
Continuing To Advance European High Contrast Imaging Research And Development Towards HWO And LIFE
The European Research and Development for Space based High Contrast Imaging II Workshop, held at MPIA in May 2025, advanced Europe strategic coordination in support of future exoplanet imaging missions […]
Posted inAstronomy & Telescopes, Exoplanets, -moons, -comets, Habitable Zones, Imaging & Spectroscopy, Status Report
Recent Development In High-precision High-fidelity Spectrographs For Exoplanet Research And Characterization
High-precision high-fidelity spectrographs are the most powerful instruments for exoplanets detection and characterization. The sub-m/s radial-velocity precision, required to detect Earth-mass exoplanets, necessitates tackling all the sources of instrumental and […]
Posted inArtemis & Lunar Exploration, Astronomy & Telescopes, Biosignatures & Paleobiology, Missions & Hardware, Moon, SETI & Technosignatures, Status Report
First Lunar Farside SETI Observations for Periodic Signals With The Low-frequency Radio Spectrometer Of Chang’E-4 Mission
Chang’E-4 (CE4), the first mission to soft-land on the lunar farside, provides a unique opportunity for astronomical observations from an environment shielded from terrestrial radio interference, and thus serves as […]
Posted inAstronomy & Telescopes, Biosignatures & Paleobiology, Intelligence & Language, SETI & Technosignatures, Status Report
A TESS Test of the Hybrid Ring Strategy for Technosignature Searches Using GRB 221009A
We present the first observational test of the hybrid ring strategy, a general coordinated signaling scheme proposed by Seto (2025), which provides a practical Schelling-point realization for interstellar signaling.
Posted inAstronomy & Telescopes, Biosignatures & Paleobiology, Exoplanets, -moons, -comets, Missions & Hardware, PLATO, Status Report
Planet Finder PLATO Input Catalogs For Technical Calibration And Fine Guidance
A few weeks after launch, the PLATO spacecraft is expected to start its payload commissioning, which will be completed within the first three months of the mission. This phase includes […]
Posted inAtmospheres, Climate, Weather, Beta Pictoris, Biosignatures & Paleobiology, Desert Worlds, Gaia - Planetary Perspectives, Mars, Status Report, Terraforming & Geoengineering, Water/Hycean Worlds & Oceanography
A Research Roadmap For Assessing The Feasibility Of Warming Mars
This roadmap outlines research pathways to determine whether Mars could be warmed with non-biological methods. It does not presuppose that warming Mars is desirable; its purpose is to identify what […]
Posted inAstrochemistry, Astronomy & Telescopes, Biochemistry & Organic Chemistry, Biosignatures & Paleobiology, Comets and Asteroids, Icy Worlds, Imaging & Spectroscopy, Interstellar, Status Report
Geant4-IcyMoons: Simulating Electron Interaction Physics in Irradiated Astrophysical Ices
Energetic particles continuously process water ice across astrophysical and planetary environments, from interstellar clouds and comets to icy planetary surfaces. Interpreting the resulting observables requires a physically grounded description of […]
Posted inAstrochemistry, Astronomy & Telescopes, Biosignatures & Paleobiology, Imaging & Spectroscopy, Status Report
The SPHEREx Instrument: Calibration, Testing And Performance Measurements Of The NIR 2 Spectroscopic Surveyor From The Laboratory To In-orbit Commissioning
The SPHEREx near-infrared space telescope is an all-sky spectroscopic survey mission launched on March 12th, 2025 UTC.
Posted inAstrochemistry, Astronomy & Telescopes, Biochemistry & Organic Chemistry, Biosignatures & Paleobiology, Imaging & Spectroscopy, Interstellar, Missions & Hardware, Status Report
Spectral Map Making With SPHEREx
We present map-making methodologies and preliminary spectral data cubes for SPHEREx, a NASA Explorer mission that launched in March 2025 and has been performing an all-sky near-infrared spectral survey.