Plato
Terrestrial planet hunter
The mission
ESA’s mission Plato, PLAnetary Transits and Oscillations of stars, will use its 26 cameras to study terrestrial exoplanets in orbits up to the habitable zone of Sun-like stars. The mission will measure the sizes of exoplanets and discover exomoons and rings around them. Plato will also characterise planets' host stars by studying tiny light variations in the starlight it receives.
The launch
Launch: planned for 2026
Launch location: Europe's Spaceport in French Guiana
Launch vehicle: Ariane 6
Orbit: halo orbit around Sun-Earth Lagrange point L2
- 26 cameras
- 81.4 megapixel cameras
- more than 200 000 stars
Latest
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VideoScience & Exploration
ESA’s exoplanet missions
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ImageEnabling & Support
Plato’s cave: vacuum test for exoplanet detection
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ImageScience & Exploration
Planet-hunting eye of Plato
