EChO

EChO The Exoplanet Characterisation Observatory (EChO) will be the first dedicated mission to investigate exoplanetary atmospheres, addressing the suitability of those planets for life and placing our Solar System in context.

EChO will provide high resolution, multi-wavelength spectroscopic observations. It will measure the atmospheric composition, temperature and albedo of a representative sample of known exoplanets, constrain models of their internal structure and improve our understanding of how planets form and evolve. It will orbit around the L2 Lagrange point, 1.5 million km from Earth in the anti-sunward direction.

EChO was selected as one of 4 medium-class (M3) mission candidates of ESA for further study and has now entered the assessment phase.

echo

Timeline

  • Mission Candidate Assessment Phase (2011-2012)
  • Down-selection from 4 to 2 M3 mission candidates (2013)
  • Launch: 2020-2022

Science Objectives

The Exoplanet Characterisation Observatory, EChO, will be the first dedicated mission to investigate the physics and chemistry of Exoplanetary Atmospheres. 

Key science objectives are:

  1. Measure the atmospheric composition, temperature and albedo of a highly representative sample of known extrasolar planets orbiting different stellar types (F, G, K, and M)
  2. Measure the spatial (vertical, horizontal) and temporal variability of the thermal/chemical atmospheric structure of giants, Neptunes and hot Super-Earths.
  3. Investigate the complex planet-star interaction
  4. Constrain the models of internal structure
  5. Improve our understanding of planetary formation and evolution mechanisms
  6. Explore the thermal/chemical variability along the orbit of non-transiting exoplanets, especially in high-eccentric orbits

Science Team

The overall leadership of EChO is given by Dr. Giovanna Tinetti of University College London

Co-I teams are from the UK, France, Germany, Switzerland, Italy, Spain, Netherlands and the U.S.

Imperial College London are Co-Investigators and lead the Star-Planet Interaction Science Team

External Link

More information can be found on the  EChO can be found on the external EChO webpage

Imperial College Contact

For more information, please contact

Dr. Ingo Mueller-Wodarg
The Blackett Laboratory
Imperial College London
SW7 2BW
UK

Email: i.mueller-wodarg@imperial.ac.uk