Continuing to Advance European High Contrast Imaging Research and Development towards HWO and LIFE

TL;DR

This paper reports on a 2025 European workshop that coordinated efforts and set priorities for high contrast imaging technologies crucial for future exoplanet missions like HWO and LIFE.

Contribution

It defines concrete technical priorities and a collaborative roadmap to enhance Europe's leadership in space-based exoplanet imaging.

Findings

Identified need for a European vacuum testbed for high contrast imaging.

Highlighted strengths in adaptive optics, ground-based facilities, and interferometry.

Emphasized the importance of near infrared or UV coronagraphy for European leadership.

Abstract

The European Research and Development for Space based High Contrast Imaging II Workshop, held at MPIA in May 2025, advanced Europe strategic coordination in support of future exoplanet imaging missions such as the Habitable Worlds Observatory and the Large Interferometer for Exoplanets mission. Building on the first 2024 workshop, this meeting defined concrete priorities across eight technical areas, including wavefront sensing, coronagraphs, post processing, nulling interferometry, deformable mirrors, detectors, and telescope design. Discussions emphasized Europe strengths in adaptive optics, ground-based facilities, and interferometry, while identifying key gaps, particularly the need for a dedicated European vacuum testbed for high contrast imaging. The community highlighted near infrared or UV coronagraphy as a promising domain for European leadership and called for joint development of advanced data reduction algorithms, detectors, and cross-mission coordination with HWO and LIFE. The workshop outcomes establish a collaborative roadmap to strengthen Europe technological readiness, foster agency partnerships, and ensure its continued leadership in the next generation of space-based exoplanet exploration.