The Pandora SmallSat: A Mission to spectroscopically study exoplanet atmospheres

Kelsey Hoffman, Elisa V. Quintana, Jessie L. Dotson, Knicole D. Colón, Thomas Barclay, Pete Supsinskas, Jordan Karburn, Dániel Apai, Christina Hedges, Benjamin V. Rackham, Jason F. Rowe, Jessie L. Christiansen, Thomas P. Greene, James Mason, Gregory Mosby, Néstor Espinoza, Emily A. Gilbert, Veselin B. Kostov, Nikole K. Lewis, Brett M. MorrisSusan E. Mullally, Elisabeth R. Newton, Joshua E. Schlieder, Allison Youngblood, Trevor Foote, Megan Mansfield, Kevin B. Stevenson, Steven Villanueva, Joshua Pepper

Research output: Chapter in Book/Report/Conference proceedingConference contribution

2 Scopus citations

Abstract

Pandora is a low-cost space telescope designed to measure the composition of distant transiting planets. The Pandora observatory is designed with the capability of measuring precision photometry simultaneously with near-infrared spectroscopy, enabling scientists to disentangle stellar activity from the subtle signature of a planetary atmosphere. The broad-wavelength coverage will provide constraints on the spot and faculae covering fractions of low-mass exoplanet host stars and the impact of these active regions on exoplanetary transmission spectra. Pandora will subsequently identify exoplanets with hydrogen- or water-dominated atmospheres, and robustly determine which planets are covered by clouds and hazes. Pandora observations will also contribute to the study of transit timing variations and phase curve photometry. With a launch readiness date of early-2025, the Pandora mission represents a new class of low-cost space missions that will achieve out-of-this-world science.

Original languageEnglish (US)
Title of host publicationSpace Telescopes and Instrumentation 2022
Subtitle of host publicationOptical, Infrared, and Millimeter Wave
EditorsLaura E. Coyle, Shuji Matsuura, Marshall D. Perrin
PublisherSPIE
ISBN (Electronic)9781510653412
DOIs
StatePublished - 2022
EventSpace Telescopes and Instrumentation 2022: Optical, Infrared, and Millimeter Wave - Montreal, Canada
Duration: Jul 17 2022Jul 22 2022

Publication series

NameProceedings of SPIE - The International Society for Optical Engineering
Volume12180
ISSN (Print)0277-786X
ISSN (Electronic)1996-756X

Conference

ConferenceSpace Telescopes and Instrumentation 2022: Optical, Infrared, and Millimeter Wave
Country/TerritoryCanada
CityMontreal
Period7/17/227/22/22

Keywords

  • astronomy
  • exoplanets
  • Infrared
  • Optical
  • photometer
  • spectrograph
  • stars
  • stellar activity

ASJC Scopus subject areas

  • Electronic, Optical and Magnetic Materials
  • Condensed Matter Physics
  • Computer Science Applications
  • Applied Mathematics
  • Electrical and Electronic Engineering

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