Future Missions to Search for Earth-like Planets By Robert Roy Britt Senior Science Writer posted: 07:00 am ET 30 November 2000
SIM mission
The
Space Interferometry Mission (SIM) would hunt for Earth-sized planets around
other stars and provide new insights into the origin and evolution of our galaxy.
SIM would be placed into
orbit around the Sun on a path that follows Earth's orbit. Light gathered by
its multiple telescopes will be combined and processed to yield information
that could normally be obtained only with a much larger telescope.
The mission would also measure
the locations and distances of stars throughout our Milky Way Galaxy, and study
other celestial objects.
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The
Space Interferometry Mission (SIM) would hunt for Earth-sized planets around
other stars and provide new insights into the origin and evolution of our galaxy.