LEAVITT: A MIDEX-class Mission for Finding & Characterizing 10,000 Transiting Planets in the Solar Neighborhood

Abstract

We propose a MIDEX-class space mission with the goal to find and characterize roughly 10,000 transiting planets. When transits occur, a much more detailed characterization of the planet is possible and so a large data base of transiting planets will provide planets with a large range in periods and radii for follow-up studies. Our survey will be all-sky and focused on stars brighter than V=14.8. Down to V=12, LEAVITT will be able to detect Neptune-sized objects. Because of it's high cadence, LEAVITT is about 100 times more sensitive at detecting transits than GAIA, while it will find more than 20 times as many transits as KEPLER. LEAVITT has multi-band photometric capability implemented via a low-resolution dispersive element which can obtain 0.2% (2 mmag) photometry down to V=14.8. LEAVITT's high multi-band photometric accuracy reduces the number of false-positives significantly.