The document outlines future missions related to dark energy and the search for life, focusing on the Wide Field Infrared Survey Telescope (WFIRST) and the Large UV/Optical/IR Surveyor (LUVOIR). WFIRST aims to understand dark energy and perform a census of planetary systems, while LUVOIR emphasizes characterizing Earth-like planets and detecting biosignatures. Key technologies and strategies are discussed, including high-contrast imaging and the use of large segmented mirrors.

1. Future Missions:
Dark Energy
The Search for Life
Mark Clampin
Goddard Space Flight Center

2. WFIRST determines the nature of
the dark energy that is driving the
current accelerating expansion of
the universe
WFIRST will
characterize planets
and disks with a
stellar coronagraph
WFIRST performs a
statistical census of
planetary systems
via a µlensing survey
mLENSING
CENSUS
CORONAGRAPHY
SUPERNOVAE
BARYON
ACOUSTIC
OSCILLATIONS GRAVITATIONAL
LENSING
2.4 meter telescope
Near-IR instrument with 18 4k x 4k arrays
Exoplanet coronagraph
Material Courtesy of Neil Gehrels & WFIRST Science Team
WFIRST-AFTA - Wide Field Survey

3. WFIRST-AFTA - Wide Field Survey
WFIRST Field of view
HST/ACS
HST/WF3
JWST/NIRCam
0.79 Deg
Material Courtesy of Neil Gehrels & WFIRST Science Team

4. High Contrast Imaging of Exoplanets
Material Courtesy of Neil Gehrels & WFIRST Science Team
Direct imaging of known
Gas Giants - Superearths
Science and technology
foundation for a future
mission capable of
characterizing Earth-like
planets.

5. The Search for Life
Finding Earth 2.0 !

6. Biosignatures Provide Evidence for Life

7. Where Do We Look? The Habitable Zone

8. How to Find Earth 2.0: The Survey
➠
Material Courtesy of ATLAST Science Team
➠

9. Requirements to Find Earth 2.0
➠picometers stability
Exoearth candidate yield
(Stark et al. 2014)
➠Telescope aperture ≥ 12 meter

10. Astrophysics
Material Courtesy of Beyond JWST Report

11. Large UVOIR (LUVOIR) Telescope
Multi-DOF Gimbal
- Maintains Sunshield at constant T
- Telescope dynamically Isolated
from Spacecraft
Serviceable Instruments
Segmented primary mirror
- active thermal control
Sunshield:3-4 layer, constant
angle to sun, Approximately
100K, stable sink

12. LUVOIR Enabled by JWST Technology
LUVOIR Observatory

13. LUVOIR Enabled by JWST Technology
LUVOIR Observatory
Mirror Backplanes
Composite, primary mirror
backplane structures
scaleable to
≥ 10 meter apertures
Segmented Mirrors
MMSD mirror program
demonstrates lightweight
ULE segments capable of
~pm stability with active
thermal control @ 300K
Sunshield
Large deployable,
sunshield structures
Control System
Wavefront Sensing and
control for large, segmented
optical systems
TV Test Facilities
Thermal vacuum test
chamber facility, optimized
for large aperture
telescopes
Integration and Test
Precision high-speed
interferometric testing of
mirror segments with ≤ SFE
precision
Deployment Mechanisms
Mechanisms and latches employed
in deployment of large structures
and sunshields

14. HST
SPITZER
KEPLER
TESS
JWST
WFIRST
Figure adapted from Testimony to Congress by John Grunsfeld (May 2013)
AURA Report
Beyond JWST
~April 15
LUVOIR
Summary
• On the cusp: WFIRST ➠ Nature of dark energy
• Beyond...... LUVOIR
➡ the search for life

15. Acknowledgements
• GSFC: Matt Bolcar, Julie Crooke, Shawn
Domagal-Goldman, Lee Feinberg, Avi Mandell,
Norman Rioux, Aki Roberge, Chris Stark, Karl
Stapelfeldt & Harley Thronson,
• JPL: Nick Siegler
• MSFC: Phil Stahl
• STScI Marc Postman, Matt Mountain