NASA unveils plan for next-gen telescope to search space for signs of life: reports

Veteran NASA astronaut Tom Jones recaps the historic Artemis I mission after the Orion capsule made a successful return to earth and outlines what this means for the lunar return program. The Habitable Worlds Observatory was announced Monday at the latest American Astronomical Society meeting, and its goal is searching for signs of life on habitable exoplanets. Space.com said on Friday that the observatory will need a powerful coronograph, which is an instrument that allows scientists to study faint objects. Mark Clampin, the director of NASA's astrophysics division, reportedly said that the agency would approach the project as if it faced a strict launch window, building on previous technology used for the Nancy Grace Roman Space Telescope as well as Webb. FILE - In this April 13, 2017, photo provided by NASA, technicians lift the mirror of the James Webb Space Telescope using a crane at the Goddard Space Flight Center in Greenbelt, Maryland.