ARIEL [Airbus Defence and Space]
ARIEL (Atmospheric Remote-sensing Infrared Exoplanet Large-survey) is an ESA mission with the objective to perform a chemical census of a large (of order 1000) well selected diverse sample of primarily warm and hot exoplanets orbiting relatively nearby host stars with a range of spectral types from A to M.
The key science questions ARIEL will address are:
The target selection will be made before launch based on ESA science team and community inputs, and can be updated throughout the mission. The mission will deliver a homogeneous catalogue of planetary spectra, yielding refined molecular abundances, chemical gradients and atmospheric structure; diurnal and seasonal variations; presence of clouds and measurement of albedo.
Ariel will perform observations in three photometric bands (0.5-0.6 micron, 0.6-0.8 micron, and 0.8-1.1 micron) and three spectroscopic bands (1.1-1.95 micron (R>15), 1.95-3.9 micron (R>100), and 3.9-7.8 micron (R>30)) simultaneously covering the 0.5-7.8 micron spectral range, with an off-axis Cassegrain telescope having a 1.1 × 0.7 m primary providing a collecting area of 0.61 m2.
Nation: | Europe |
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Type / Application: | Science, astronomy |
Operator: | ESA |
Contractors: | Airbus Defence and Space |
Equipment: | |
Configuration: | |
Propulsion: | |
Power: | Solar cells, batteries |
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Orbit: | Sun-Earth Lagrange point L2 halo orbit |
Satellite | COSPAR | Date | LS | Launch Vehicle | Remarks | |
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ARIEL | - | 2029 | Ko ELA-4 | Ariane-62 (baselined) | with Comet Interceptor A, Comet Interceptor B1, Comet Interceptor B2 |
Further ESA Cosmic Vision missions:
Large class: Medium class: Small class: Fast class: |
Further Explorer Missions of Opportunity (MoO) and International Missions (Int):
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