Advanced Technology Large-Aperture Space Telescope (ATLAST): Characterizing Habitable Worlds

TL;DR

ATLAST is a proposed large-aperture space telescope designed to characterize Earth-like exoplanets in habitable zones, enabling detailed atmospheric and surface analysis up to 45 parsecs away.

Contribution

This paper introduces the ATLAST mission concepts, highlighting its capabilities for detailed exoplanet characterization with a large aperture and advanced starlight suppression techniques.

Findings

Can characterize atmospheres and surfaces of Earth-sized exoplanets

Able to observe up to 200 stars within 5 years

Potential to detect seasonal surface variations

Abstract

The Advanced Technology Large Aperture Space Telescope (ATLAST) is a set of mission concepts for the next generation UV-Optical-Near Infrared space telescope with an aperture size of 8 to 16 meters. ATLAST, using an internal coronagraph or an external occulter, can characterize the atmosphere and surface of an Earth-sized exoplanet in the Habitable Zone of long-lived stars at distances up to ~45 pc, including its rotation rate, climate, and habitability. ATLAST will also allow us to glean information on the nature of the dominant surface features, changes in cloud cover and climate, and, potentially, seasonal variations in surface vegetation. ATLAST will be able to visit up to 200 stars in 5 years, at least three times each, depending on the technique used for starlight suppression and the telescope aperture. More frequent visits can be made for interesting systems.