Search for Extra-Terrestrial planets: The DARWIN mission - Target Stars and Array Architectures

TL;DR

The DARWIN mission aims to detect and analyze Earth-like exoplanets using nulling interferometry, with a focus on target star selection and evaluating various mission architectures to optimize performance and reduce complexity.

Contribution

This work establishes a target star list and evaluates alternative interferometer architectures, informing the design of the DARWIN mission for exoplanet detection.

Findings

Target star list includes key characteristics affecting mission success.

Alternative architectures can achieve core goals with reduced complexity.

Mission feasibility is supported by response and efficiency analyses.

Abstract

The DARWIN mission is an Infrared free flying interferometer mission based on the new technique of nulling interferometry. Its main objective is to detect and characterize other Earth-like planets, analyze the composition of their atmospheres and their capability to sustain life, as we know it. DARWIN is currently in definition phase. This PhD work that has been undertaken within the DARWIN team at the European Space Agency (ESA) addresses two crucial aspects of the mission. Firstly, a DARWIN target star list has been established that includes characteristics of the target star sample that will be critical for final mission design, such as, luminosity, distance, spectral classification, stellar variability, multiplicity, location and radius of the star. Constrains were applied as set by planet evolution theory and mission architecture. Secondly, a number of alternative mission architectures have been evaluated on the basis of interferometer response as a function of wavelength, achievable modulation efficiency, number of telescopes and starlight rejection capabilities. The study has shown that the core mission goals should be achievable with a lower level of complexity as compared to the current baseline configuration.