[ESA] The European Space Agency’s terrestrial planet hunter Plato has recently completed a series of key tests inside the Maxwell Test Chamber at ESTEC, demonstrating that its electronic equipment is […]
PLATO
Posted inHabitable Zones
The Expected Yield Of Venus Zone Terrestrial Planets From PLATO
[astro-ph.EP] The characterization of terrestrial exoplanets and the conditions that lead to divergent climate outcomes is a primary goal of exoplanetary science.
Posted inExoplanets, -moons, -comets
Characterising Transiting Exoplanets At Long Orbital Period: Lessons Learned For PLATO From 10 Years Of Monitoring The HIP41378 System
[astro-ph.EP] The upcoming launch of the PLATO mission will open a new area of exoplanetary research by probing transiting exoplanets at long orbital periods around bright stars.
Posted inAstrochemistry, Astrogeology, Astropharmacy / Biotechnology, Atmospheres, Climate, Weather, Biogeochemical Cycles & Geobiology, Exoplanets, -moons, -comets, Habitable Zones, Imaging & Spectroscopy, Press Release
New Model Refines Search For Habitable Planets
Researchers have developed the Smaller Than Earth Habitability Model (STEHM) to assess which planets can maintain life-supporting atmospheres, focusing on size and atmospheric dynamics.
![WASP-39b transmission spectra and cloud scenarios. Spectra are observed with JWST (orange), HST (magenta), and VLT (green) in comparison to models with different Fe content: full IWF Graz cloud model (black line), Fe[s] replaced (dark gray), FeS[s] replaced (middle gray), and all Fe-binding materials replaced (light gray). The Fe-free mixed-material cloud compositions provide a good fit in the near-IR but not in the optical. — astro-ph.EP](https://i0.wp.com/astrobiology.com/wp-content/uploads/2026/04/Exoplanet-climate.png?resize=1200%2C718&ssl=1)
Posted inExoplanets, -moons, -comets, Gas Giants, Status Report
Exoplanet Climate Characterization With Transit Asymmetries
Context. Space missions such as CHEOPS, JWST, and PLATO facilitate detailed characterization of exoplanets, particularly close-in gas giants and their wide range of global temperatures and climate regimes.
Posted inAstronomy & Telescopes, Atmospheres, Climate, Weather, Biosignatures & Paleobiology, Exoplanets, -moons, -comets, Imaging & Spectroscopy, PLATO, Press Release
Astrobiology Mission Update: Plato Habitable Exoplanet Hunter Integration
The European Space Agency Plato mission has successfully completed a series of tough tests under space‑like conditions. With this accomplishment, the spacecraft is on track to lift off in early […]
Posted inExoplanets, -moons, -comets, Habitable Zones, Press Release, Stellar Cartography
Beyond The Mass-radius Plane: Integrated Radiative-convective And Interior Structure Simulations Of The Exoplanet Continuum
Static structure models, which map mass-radius constraints to bulk planet composition, are frequently used to categorise exoplanets due to their computational efficiency and the high-level insight they offer into planetary […]
Posted inAstronomy & Telescopes, Exoplanets, -moons, -comets, PLATO, Status Report, Stellar Cartography
Variability Classification Of TESS Targets in LOPS2, The First Long-term Pointing Field Of PLATO. Version 1 of The Public Variability Catalogue
The PLAnetary Transits and Oscillations of stars (PLATO) mission is expected to launch in January 2027. A total of 8\% of its data rate will be dedicated to complementary science […]
Posted inAstronauts and Explorers, Atmospheres, Climate, Weather, Biosignatures & Paleobiology, Exoplanets, -moons, -comets, Imaging & Spectroscopy, Missions & Hardware, Press Release
Assessment Of PLATO Science Performance
The PLATO mission is scheduled for launch early 2027. In this paper we present an overview of the performance drivers for the mission at the time where all flight models […]
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 […]