The Pandora SmallSat: A Low-Cost, High Impact Mission to Study Exoplanets and Their Host Stars
Thomas Barclay, Elisa V. Quintana, Knicole Col\'on, Benjamin J. Hord, Gregory Mosby, Joshua E. Schlieder, Robert T. Zellem, Jordan Karburn, Lance M. Simms, Peter F. Heatwole, Christina L. Hedges, Jessie L. Dotson, Thomas P. Greene, Trevor O. Foote, Nikole K. Lewis

TL;DR
The Pandora SmallSat is a cost-effective NASA mission designed to study exoplanet atmospheres using multiband observations, leveraging existing capabilities and innovative management to achieve high scientific impact within a small form factor.
Contribution
This paper introduces the Pandora SmallSat mission concept, highlighting its low-cost design, innovative use of existing technology, and comprehensive simulation tools for exoplanet atmosphere studies.
Findings
Successful completion of Critical Design Review in October 2023
Development of high-fidelity simulation and modeling tools
Mission scheduled for launch in Fall 2025
Abstract
The Pandora SmallSat is a NASA flight project aimed at studying the atmospheres of exoplanets -- planets orbiting stars outside our Solar System. Pandora will provide the first dataset of simultaneous, multiband (visible and NIR), long-baseline observations of exoplanets and their host stars. Pandora is an ambitious project that will fly a 0.44 m telescope in a small form factor. To achieve the scientific goals, the mission requires a departure from the traditional cost-schedule paradigm of half-meter-class observatories. Pandora achieves this by leveraging existing capabilities that necessitate minimal engineering development, disruptive and agile management, trusted partnerships with vendors, and strong support from the lead institutions. The Pandora team has developed a suite of high-fidelity parameterized simulation and modeling tools to estimate the performance of both imaging…
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Taxonomy
TopicsAstronomy and Astrophysical Research · Stellar, planetary, and galactic studies · Technology Assessment and Management
