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arXiv · 1809.09674

The Habitable Exoplanet Observatory (HabEx) Mission Concept Study Interim Report

B. Scott Gaudi·Sara Seager·Bertrand Mennesson·Alina Kiessling·Keith Warfield·Gary Kuan·Kerri Cahoy·John T. Clarke·Shawn Domagal-Goldman·Lee Feinberg·Olivier Guyon·Jeremy Kasdin·Dimitri Mawet·Tyler Robinson·Leslie Rogers·Paul Scowen·Rachel Somerville·Karl Stapelfeldt·Christopher Stark·Daniel Stern·Margaret Turnbull·Stefan Martin·Oscar Alvarez-Salazar·Rashied Amini·William Arnold·Bala Balasubramanian·Mike Baysinger·Lindsey Blais·Thomas Brooks·Rob Calvet·Velibor Cormarkovic·Charlie Cox·Rolf Danner·Jacqueline Davis·Lisa Dorsett·Michael Effinger·Ron Eng·Jay Garcia·Jonathan Gaskin·Joby Harris·Scott Howe·Brent Knight·John Krist·David Levine·Mary Li·Doug Lisman·Milan Mandic·Luis Marchen·Colleen Marrese-Reading·Jim McGowen·Andrew Miyaguchi·Rhonda Morgan·Bijan Nemati·Shouleh Nikzad·Joel Nissen·Megan Novicki·Todd Perrine·David Redding·Michael Richards·Mike Rud·Dan Scharf·Gene Serabyn·Stuart Shaklan·Scott Smith·Mark Stahl·Phil Stahl·Hao Tang·David Van Buren·Juan Villalvazo·Steve Warwick·David Webb·Rush Wofford·Jahning Woo·Milana Wood·John Ziemer·Ewan Douglas·Virginie Faramaz·Sergi Hildebrandt·Tiffany Meshkat·Peter Plavchan·Garreth Ruane·Neal Turner
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Abstract

For the first time in human history, technologies have matured sufficiently to enable a mission capable of discovering and characterizing habitable planets like Earth orbiting sunlike stars other than the Sun. At the same time, such a platform would enable unique science not possible from ground-based facilities. This science is broad and exciting, ranging from new investigations of our own solar system to a full range of astrophysics disciplines. The Habitable Exoplanet Observatory, or HabEx, is one of four studies currently being undertaken by NASA in preparation for the 2020 Astrophysics Decadal Survey. HabEx has been designed to be the Great Observatory of the 2030s, with community involvement through a competed and funded Guest Observer (GO) program. This interim report describes the HabEx baseline concept, which is a space-based 4-meter diameter telescope mission concept with ultraviolet (UV), optical, and near-infrared (near-IR) imaging and spectroscopy capabilities. More information on HabEx can be found at https://www.jpl.nasa.gov/habex

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B. Scott Gaudi, Sara Seager, Bertrand Mennesson, Alina Kiessling, Keith Warfield, Gary Kuan, Kerri Cahoy, John T. Clarke, Shawn Domagal-Goldman, Lee Feinberg, Olivier Guyon, Jeremy Kasdin, Dimitri Mawet, Tyler Robinson, Leslie Rogers, Paul Scowen, Rachel Somerville, Karl Stapelfeldt, Christopher Stark, Daniel Stern, Margaret Turnbull, Stefan Martin, Oscar Alvarez-Salazar, Rashied Amini, William Arnold, Bala Balasubramanian, Mike Baysinger, Lindsey Blais, Thomas Brooks, Rob Calvet, Velibor Cormarkovic, Charlie Cox, Rolf Danner, Jacqueline Davis, Lisa Dorsett, Michael Effinger, Ron Eng, Jay Garcia, Jonathan Gaskin, Joby Harris, Scott Howe, Brent Knight, John Krist, David Levine, Mary Li, Doug Lisman, Milan Mandic, Luis Marchen, Colleen Marrese-Reading, Jim McGowen, Andrew Miyaguchi, Rhonda Morgan, Bijan Nemati, Shouleh Nikzad, Joel Nissen, Megan Novicki, Todd Perrine, David Redding, Michael Richards, Mike Rud, Dan Scharf, Gene Serabyn, Stuart Shaklan, Scott Smith, Mark Stahl, Phil Stahl, Hao Tang, David Van Buren, Juan Villalvazo, Steve Warwick, David Webb, Rush Wofford, Jahning Woo, Milana Wood, John Ziemer, Ewan Douglas, Virginie Faramaz, Sergi Hildebrandt, Tiffany Meshkat, Peter Plavchan, Garreth Ruane, Neal Turner. 2018-09-25. The Habitable Exoplanet Observatory (HabEx) Mission Concept Study Interim Report. https://arxiv.org/abs/1809.09674

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