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European Space Agency Picks Plato Planet-hunting Mission

Posted by timothy on from the in-space-they-don't-mind-if-you-look dept.

kc123 writes "A telescope to find worlds around other stars has been selected for launch by the European Space Agency's Science Policy Committee. Known as Plato (Planetary Transits and Oscillations of stars), the mission should launch on a Soyuz rocket in 2024. The Plato space telescope will prepare the way for scientists searching for alien life by locating the first genuinely Earth-like exoplanets orbiting nearby stars. It will break new ground in astronomy by using a "bug eye" array of 34 individual telescopes. The intention is for this array to sweep about half the sky, to investigate some of its brightest and nearest stars."

32 comments

  1. 'weather' mismatches i rock i ran.... by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

    no http://youtu.be/ZaeEopDW0V4 everywhere http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=N2cdP14Idyw

  2. ESA page by Sven-Erik · · Score: 3, Interesting

    Here is the ESA Plato page.

    --
    - "Every demand is a prison, and wisdom is only free when it asks nothing." Sir Betrand Russell
    1. Re:ESA page by Ironlenny · · Score: 1

      I thought the title read "European Space Agency Picks Pluto Planet-hunting Mission". My first thought was "They already found it!"

      --
      There is a system for subverting the system and you should use that system!
  3. Pluto would be more relevant name! by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

    Ya know, 'cause Pluto was then wasn't a planet. So if they are trying to determine if something is or is not a planet, make sure you don't Pluto it

  4. between a rock & outer space by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

    who's to tell http://www.youtube.com/results?search_query=weather+manipulation ...invites outer space into our already flimsy atmosphere

  5. Next they'll pick a peck of peppers by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 1

    Hooray for alliteration!

  6. Plato planet-hunter and star probe by DeTech · · Score: 1

    The telescope array was all but a shoe in... But I like where we are heading, more eyes watching the sky is a good thing.

    1. Re:Plato planet-hunter and star probe by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

      The aliens are now upset that it isn't just the USA violating their privacy.

  7. I don't get it by slashmydots · · Score: 1

    So we can look at planets and count them and what out with a huge degree of error what is in their atmosphere. Wouldn't the money be better spent on warping spacetime research, fusion, ion thrusters, human stasis, anti-radiation shielding, and artificial gravity?

    1. Re:I don't get it by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

      Most of the items on your wish list are not realistically possible.

    2. Re:I don't get it by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 1

      It's pretty clear you don't get it. Why not spend money on flying carpets, astral projection, witch's brooms, and levitation? Just because the words you use are in "science" fiction movies doesn't make them real. They're just fantasies and wishes under another name.

    3. Re:I don't get it by DigiShaman · · Score: 1

      Pull this off (artificial wormhole/portal), and we won't need the rest of that stuff.

      --
      Life is not for the lazy.
    4. Re:I don't get it by rubycodez · · Score: 1

      more to the point, exactly one is possible (ion thrusters are already used) and a viable fusion reactor may or may not be possible

      the rest may as well be wish for pink unicorn that can piss five flavors of fruit juice and shits jelly beans

    5. Re:I don't get it by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

      Fantasies and wishes under another name. Never gonna happen. Ever.

    6. Re:I don't get it by Electricity+Likes+Me · · Score: 1

      NASA has a department of Warp Field Mechanics already.

    7. Re:I don't get it by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

      If by department, you mean several people and experiments that have part time overlap with warp drive concepts, but also spend a lot of time working on other theory and experimental work.

    8. Re:I don't get it by slashmydots · · Score: 1

      I can't believe this was replied to by complete idiots. Space and time is bent around a black hole, we already know how and why it happens, and can measure it. So that's not scifi. Human stasis is as simple as can be and we're more than halfway there. Anti-radiation shielding exists in nuclear power plants and hospitals already. Actively powered ones have been made in labs already. Also there's one around the Earth that works just fine. Artificial gravity is theoretically possible, as proven recently by the proof of the Higgs Boson.

    9. Re:I don't get it by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

      Human stasis is as simple as can be

      Look at this. Look at the stupid thing you just said.

    10. Re:I don't get it by Electricity+Likes+Me · · Score: 1

      It's about the level of commitment appropriate for a very high stakes, difficult to prove idea that's a long shot.

  8. Pato's Cave by Da+Cheez · · Score: 2

    With a name like Plato, I worry it won't see much other than shadows when searching for stars....

  9. Sick of these forced Acronyms by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 1

    I get it.
    Plato was a dude that did stuff a few years back and you want to honor him by using his name for your shiney new space toy.
    Really, all you're doing is weakening the name of your thing by naming it after another unrelated thing. I can't talk about "Plato" the telescope and not have people confuse it with Plato the philosopher.

    PTOS is a perfectly fine acronym.

    1. Re:Sick of these forced Acronyms by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

      PTOS is a perfectly fine acronym.

      How about POS or POTUS is a POS?

    2. Re:Sick of these forced Acronyms by careysub · · Score: 1

      ... I can't talk about "Plato" the telescope and not have people confuse it with Plato the philosopher.

      Easily fixed. Just have everyone start calling him by what the Classical Greeks actually called the philosopher, which was "Platon" (not "Plato"). Either that or start calling him by his birth-name Aristocles.

      --
      Starships were meant to fly, Hands up and touch the sky - Nicky Minaj
  10. So long? by bulletman · · Score: 2

    I'm very glad the project is going forward. But, 10 years?! I have to think the turnaround time could be improved with a little effort, imagination, and courage.

    1. Re:So long? by bobbied · · Score: 1

      I'm very glad the project is going forward. But, 10 years?! I have to think the turnaround time could be improved with a little effort, imagination, and courage.

      You must be a project manager who doesn't work on government projects. Come on, this is the EU we are talking about. It's going to take them at least half that time to be on holiday.

      --
      "File to fit, pound to insert, paint to match" - Aircraft Maintenance 101
  11. why Soyuz? by WindBourne · · Score: 1

    that is now expensive and has had issues.
    It seems like the smart one might be to wait a bit longer and see what else is cheaper, bigger, better.

    --
    I prefer the "u" in honour as it seems to be missing these days.
    1. Re:why Soyuz? by hackertourist · · Score: 2

      It's an ESA project, for political reasons this will use an ESA launcher. They added a Soyuz launchpad to the Kourou spaceport a few years ago to expand their launcher portfolio on the low end.

  12. Meanwhile in USA by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

    Nothing...

  13. Good. There's no such thing as too many planet ... by Ihlosi · · Score: 1

    ... hunting missions. Can't wait for the next couple of thousand exoplanet discoveries!

  14. Plato, hunting planets by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

    He sits, waiting until they pass near and lures them into political discussion where they eventually drop dead from exhaustion.