Lawrence Livermore National Laboratory and NASA Launch Pandora Mission to Search for Life on Exoplanets
Lawrence Livermore National Laboratory and NASA are set to launch the Pandora Mission from Vandenberg Space Force Base in January, aimed at identifying exoplanets with life-essential compounds. Over 13 months, the mission will analyze the atmospheres of 20 planets during eclipses, seeking biosignatures like oxygen and methane, and is part of the Pioneers Program to gather data from planets up to 100 light years away. The satellite, launching on a SpaceX rocket, is designed to overcome solar contamination issues and is projected to cost significantly less than previous NASA missions.
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Lawrence Livermore National Laboratory (LLNL) and NASA will launch the 13-month Pandora Mission from Vandenberg Space Force Base in January, aimed at identifying planets with compounds essential for life. The mission will capture atmospheric conditions of 20 planets as they eclipse their suns, aiding the James Webb Space Telescope in photographing exoplanets around young stars.
The Pandora team aims to detect biosignatures, such as oxygen and methane, which indicate past or present life. This mission is part of the Pioneers Program, expanding the original effort to capture information from planets 100 light years away.
The satellite will launch aboard a SpaceX rocket, expected after January 5, and is designed to address solar contamination issues encountered by previous telescopes. The mission is estimated to cost seven times less than previous NASA missions.
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