Origins Space Telescope

Origins Space Telescope
Name	Origins Space Telescope
Mission type	Space observatory
Operator	NASA
Manufacturer	NASA centers and industry partners
Launch mass	(proposed)
Power	(proposed)
Launch date	Proposed (concept)
Orbit	Sun–Earth L2 (proposed)

Origins Space Telescope

The Origins Space Telescope concept was a proposed far-infrared space observatory developed within National Aeronautics and Space Administration planning activities, conceived to extend heritage from Spitzer Space Telescope, Herschel Space Observatory, and James Webb Space Telescope while aiming to surpass capabilities of Wide-field Infrared Survey Explorer and Akari (satellite). The concept was explored in community studies led by panels from the Astrophysics Decadal Survey and program offices at NASA Goddard Space Flight Center and NASA Jet Propulsion Laboratory, engaging partners including European Space Agency and research institutions such as the California Institute of Technology and Massachusetts Institute of Technology.

Overview

The Origins concept envisioned a cryogenically cooled observatory optimized for mid- to far-infrared wavelengths, building on technology demonstrators like SOFIA and instrument heritage from Spitzer Space Telescope instruments (e.g., Infrared Array Camera). The mission concept aimed to operate from a halo orbit around Sun–Earth L2 to enable low thermal background and continuous sky access, similar to operational decisions for Planck (spacecraft) and Wilkinson Microwave Anisotropy Probe. Origins sought to integrate large-aperture mirror architecture, cryogenic cooling systems influenced by James Webb Space Telescope engineering, and detector technologies advanced at institutions such as NASA Ames Research Center and Jet Propulsion Laboratory.

Mission Objectives

Primary objectives proposed for Origins targeted the detection of faint far-infrared signatures from the earliest phases of galaxy formation and planetary system assembly, extending scientific threads initiated by Cosmic Microwave Background experiments and surveys like Sloan Digital Sky Survey. Specific aims included measuring the composition of interstellar medium in galaxies across cosmic time, tracing the formation pathways of molecular species identified in Messier 82 and Orion Nebula, and characterizing protoplanetary disk chemistry relevant to studies at Atacama Large Millimeter Array and Very Large Array. Origins also proposed objectives to study water delivery and organic molecule inventories linked to research on Enceladus and Europa by missions such as Cassini–Huygens and planned missions like Europa Clipper.

Design and Instrumentation

The design concept emphasized a large segmented mirror with a diameter scaled to exceed facilities like Herschel Space Observatory while leveraging engineering lessons from James Webb Space Telescope deployment mechanisms and mirror polishing techniques pioneered by Ball Aerospace. Cryogenic cooling subsystems drew on developments at NASA Goddard Space Flight Center and commercial partners with microcryocooler experience from Ball Aerospace and Northrop Grumman. Instrument suites under study included high-resolution spectrometers for far-infrared lines such as [C II] and [O I], imaging photometers for surveys comparable to Herschel PACS and SPIRE instruments, and integral field units informed by designs used on Very Large Telescope instruments. Detector development involved superconducting bolometers and kinetic inductance detectors advanced in laboratories at University of California, Berkeley, Harvard University, and Princeton University. Spacecraft bus concepts referenced heritage from missions built by Lockheed Martin Space and Northrop Grumman Innovation Systems.

Scientific Goals and Observations

Observational programs proposed for Origins encompassed deep surveys to map star formation history across redshift ranges probed by Hubble Space Telescope deep fields, spectroscopic censuses of dust-obscured star formation complementing continuum surveys from Subaru Telescope and Keck Observatory, and targeted studies of protoplanetary disks informed by resolved observations at ALMA. The telescope intended to detect far-infrared cooling lines in high-redshift galaxies, enabling measurement of star-formation rates and metallicity evolution analogous to analyses performed with Atacama Pathfinder Experiment and Hubble Ultra-Deep Field. Origins would have contributed to exoplanetary science by measuring thermal emission and molecular signatures in atmospheres of temperate planets discovered by Kepler and Transiting Exoplanet Survey Satellite, and by probing water and complex organics in nascent planetary systems to link with studies from missions such as Rosetta (spacecraft) and New Horizons.

Development History and Timeline

The concept emerged from community white papers solicited during preparation of the 2020s Decadal Survey and technology roadmaps compiled by NASA centers and advisory bodies like the Astrophysics Division science teams. Early-phase studies evaluated configuration trade-offs, cost, and technological readiness, drawing on lesson sets from development timelines of James Webb Space Telescope and Spitzer Space Telescope. The Origins concept underwent mission concept review cycles and was considered alongside other flagship concepts evaluated by panels convened by the National Academies of Sciences, Engineering, and Medicine. Milestones included technology development funding awards to instrument teams at Space Telescope Science Institute and detector prototypes tested in facilities at Jet Propulsion Laboratory and university labs, though the concept did not advance to a final selection for a funded flagship mission during initial Decadal prioritizations.

International Collaboration and Funding

Study and development efforts for Origins engaged international collaborators from European Space Agency, scientific teams in Japan Aerospace Exploration Agency, and academic institutions across United Kingdom, France, Germany, and Canada. Funding pathways explored bilateral contributions similar to those established for Herschel Space Observatory and cooperative frameworks used for James Webb Space Telescope, encompassing instrument contributions, science team support, and technology share agreements negotiated among agencies such as NASA, ESA, and JAXA. Cost assessment and programmatic decisions were influenced by budgetary allocations reviewed by the U.S. Congress and advisory input from bodies like the National Science Foundation and the National Research Council.

Category:Proposed NASA space telescopes