Summary
| PLATO PLAnetary Transits and Oscillations of stars |
|
| Theme | What are the conditions for planet formation and the emergence of life? |
| Primary Goal | Detection and characterisation of terrestrial exoplanets around bright solar-type stars, with emphasis on planets orbiting in the habitable zone. |
| Measurements |
|
| Wavelength | Optical |
| Telescope | A number of small, optically fast, wide-field telescopes |
| Orbit | Large amplitude libration orbit around Sun-Earth Lagrangian point, L2 |
| Lifetime | 4 years of nominal science operations; satellite built and verified for an in-orbit lifetime of 6.5 years, accommodating consumables for 8.5 years |
| Type | M-class Mission |
Mission Timeline
- 2026: Targeted launch date
- October 2018: Start of the full industrial development phase
- June 2017: PLATO confirmed by SPC to move into the construction phase
- 2014-2016: Definition study
- February 2014: PLATO selected by the SPC as the third medium-class mission in ESA's Cosmic Vision Programme
- 2013: Assessment study
- October 2011: PLATO not selected for the M1 or M2 slot; proceeded to candidacy for M3 launch opportunity
- February 2011: PLATO Mission Consortium for the provision of the payload and science ground segment components selected by SPC
- February 2010: Proceeded (with Euclid and Solar Orbiter) to more detailed assessment phase
- 2008: Invitation to Tender issued to industry
- 2008: Concurrent Design Facility (CDF) study
- 2007: Proposed as an M-Class mission in response to Call for Proposals
Last Update: 28 November 2019