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Habitable Worlds Observatory (HWO)

The Habitable Worlds Observatory is a large infrared/optical/ultraviolet space telescope recommended by the National Academies’ Pathways to Discovery in Astronomy and Astrophysics for the 2020s. Habitable Worlds Observatory would be the first telescope designed specifically to search for signs of life on planets orbiting other stars.

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The Habitable Worlds Observatory is a large infrared/optical/ultraviolet space telescope recommended by the National Academies’ Pathways to Discovery in Astronomy and Astrophysics for the 2020s. Habitable Worlds Observatory would be the first telescope designed specifically to search for signs of life on planets orbiting other stars.

Related Publications

2026. "Bayesian Analysis for Remote Biosignature Identification on exoEarths (BARBIE). IV. Analyzing CO2 Detections in the Near-IR to Determine the Long-wavelength Cutoff for the Habitable Worlds Observatory Coronagraph.", The Astronomical Journal, 171 (3): 182 [10.3847/1538-3881/ae3c81] [Journal Article/Letter]

2026. "Ultraviolet technology to prepare for the Habitable Worlds Observatory.", Journal of Astronomical Telescopes, Instruments, and Systems, 12 (01): [10.1117/1.jatis.12.1.015007] [Journal Article/Letter]

2026. "Toward a near-ultraviolet coronagraph instrument for the Habitable Worlds Observatory.", Journal of Astronomical Telescopes, Instruments, and Systems, 12 (01): [10.1117/1.jatis.12.1.015005] [Journal Article/Letter]

2025. "Ultraviolet science and instrumentation: on the way to the NASA Habitable Worlds Observatory and beyond—workshop highlights.", Journal of Astronomical Telescopes, Instruments, and Systems, 11 (04): [10.1117/1.jatis.11.4.042232] [Journal Article/Letter]

2025. "Next-generation microshutter arrays for HWO UV multi-object spectroscopy built on the success of the JWST technology.", Journal of Astronomical Telescopes, Instruments, and Systems, 11 (04): [10.1117/1.jatis.11.4.042229] [Journal Article/Letter]