Europeans build Ariel space telescope to study exoplanets

ESA and Airbus have signed an agreement to build a new space observatory for exoplanet research. It is scheduled to launch in 2029.

The signing of the contract to design and build the new Ariel telescope was reported on the official website of the European Space Agency (ESA). The telescope will use visible and infrared ranges. Ariel will focus on the composition of planets outside the solar system, the history of their formation and evolution.

Among other things, scientists will analyse how different types of stars influence the formation of planets. This will also provide a better understanding of the evolution of our system. In total, the observatory is expected to study more than 1,000 exoplanets.

Ariel will complete ESA's trio of special missions to study exoplanets. The first was Cheops: the telescope launched on 18 December 2019. The second mission, PLATO, is due to launch in 2026. The Ariel telescope is scheduled for launch in 2029. The main work on the design, production and integration of the elements of the complex will be carried out in Toulouse.