Discovering and Characterizing the Planetary Systems of Nearby Stars: The scientific need for medium aperture space coronagraph observations

TL;DR

A moderate aperture space coronagraph mission could significantly advance the discovery and characterization of nearby planetary systems, including terrestrial, giant planets, and debris disks, within the next decade.

Contribution

This paper advocates for a medium aperture space coronagraph to enable fundamental exoplanet science with modest capabilities, guiding future mission design.

Findings

Potential to study terrestrial planets in habitable zones

Progress in understanding giant planets and debris disks

Supports development of a cost-effective future mission

Abstract

Significant advances in the discovery and characterization of the planetary systems of nearby stars can be accomplished with a moderate aperture high performance coronagraphic space mission that could be started in the next decade. Its observations would make significant progress in studying terrestrial planets in their habitable zones to giant planets and circumstellar debris disks, also informing the design of a more capable future mission. It is quite exciting that such fundamental exoplanet science can be done with relatively modest capabilities.