WAET: low-cost ground based telescopes for accelerated exoplanet direct imaging

TL;DR

WAET introduces a novel, low-cost ground-based telescope design with an asymmetric aperture, significantly enhancing exoplanet imaging capabilities and offering scalable options for future large telescopes.

Contribution

The paper proposes the WAET design, a cost-effective asymmetric telescope layout that improves exoplanet imaging reach and scalability for future large telescopes.

Findings

hWAET can be built for $150M in the 2020s

100x2 WAET design offers enhanced exoplanet imaging

Scalable >300m versions are feasible with further R&D

Abstract

The Wide Aperture Exoplanet Telescope (WAET) is a new ground-based optical telescope layout with an extremely asymmetric aperture, which results in new exoplanet imaging reach at very low cost. We suggest that hWAET, a 100x2 telescope, can be built for $150M in the 2020s, and >300m versions merit further R&D.