The Origins Space Telescope (OST) Mission Concept Study Interim Report

TL;DR

The Origins Space Telescope (OST) is a proposed large, cold telescope with advanced instruments designed to vastly improve sensitivity and understanding of the universe's formation, from early galaxies to habitable worlds.

Contribution

This report introduces the OST Mission Concept 1, featuring a 9.1-meter cold telescope with five instruments, enabling unprecedented astrophysical observations.

Findings

Enhanced sensitivity over previous missions

Broad wavelength coverage from 5 to 660 microns

Potential for breakthrough discoveries in astrophysics

Abstract

The Origins Space Telescope (OST) will transform our understanding of the Universe, from formation of the earliest galaxies to the creation of habitable worlds. OST's Mission Concept 1, the subject of this report, features a cold (4 K) large-aperture telescope (9.1 m) and five powerful instruments, providing imaging and spectroscopy over a wavelength range from 5 to 660 microns. OST's dramatic increase in sensitivity over previous missions ensures breakthrough discoveries in a broad range of astrophysics disciplines.