Star and planet formation with the Single Aperture Large Telescope for Universe Studies space observatory

The Single Aperture Large Telescope for Universe Studies (SALTUS) is a far-infrared space mission concept with unprecedented spatial and spectral resolution. SALTUS consists of a 14-m inflatable primary, providing 16× the sensitivity and 4× the angular resolution of Herschel, and two cryogenic detectors spanning a wavelength range of 34 to 660 μm and spectral resolving power of 300-107. Spectroscopic observations in the far-infrared offer many unique windows into the processes of star and planet formation. These include observations of low-energy water transitions, the H2 mass tracer HD, many CHONS constraining molecules such as NH3 and H2S, and emission lines from the phonon modes of molecular ices. Observing these species will allow us to build a statistical sample of protoplanetary disk masses, characterize the water snowline, identify Kuiper Belt-like debris rings around other stars, and trace the evolution of CHONS from prestellar cores, through to protoplanetary disks and debris disks. We detail several key star and planet formation science goals achievable with SALTUS.