Fast Infrared Exoplanet Spectroscopy Survey Explorer

Fast Infrared Exoplanet Spectroscopy Survey Explorer (FINESSE)
FINESSE would provide uniquely detailed atmospheric information on exoplanets
Mission type Space observatory
Operator NASA
Mission duration 2 years
Start of mission
Launch date 2023 (proposed[1])
Launch site Cape Canaveral Air Force Station
Orbital parameters
Reference system Earth-Sun L2 (heliocentric) orbit
Main spectrometer
Diameter 70 cm
Wavelengths Far infrared (80 - 300 μm)

Fast Infrared Exoplanet Spectroscopy Survey Explorer (FINESSE) is a NASA mission proposal for a space observatory operating in the Near-infrared spectrum for the Medium-Class Explorers program. The Principal Investigator is Mark Swain of the Jet Propulsion Laboratory in Pasadena, California.[2]

FINESSE was one of three Medium-Class Explorers (MIDEX) mission concepts that received $2 million to conduct a nine-month mission concept study in August 2017.[3] The other two competing concepts are Arcus (an X-ray space observatory) and SPHEREx (a near-infrared space observatory). If selected, the mission would launch no earlier than 2022 and would last at least two years.

Overview

FINESSE would consist of a space observatory tasked to study exoplanet atmospheres by spectroscopically surveying over 500 planets outside the Solar System with the goal of gaining understanding of the processes responsible for their composition, and how the Solar System fits into the larger family of planets.[1]

FINESSE is a candidate for NASA's next Explorers program MIDEX mission, and is currently in a nine-months-long Phase A study starting from August 2017 to refine its mission concept.[3] NASA is expected to announce the selection result of the next MIDEX mission in 2019.

While FINESSE was selected as finalist for the MIDEX mission, NASA also conditionally selected the CASE proposal as an Explorers Program Partner Mission of Opportunity (PMO).[3] FINESSE and CASE shares the same Primary Investigator and science team.[4] CASE, or Contribution To ARIEL Spectroscopy of Exoplanets, is a proposal for US participation in the European ARIEL space telescope. An exoplanet atmosphere survey mission, ARIEL is similar to FINESSE both in spacecraft capability and scientific objectives. CASE was selected on the condition that it will only be constructed if the European Space Agency selects ARIEL.[3] At the time this was announced, it was still uncertain whether ARIEL will be ultimately selected or not. NASA has stated that if ARIEL and CASE are selected, they will not select FINESSE as the next MIDEX mission.[4] On March 2018, ARIEL was selected by ESA for the fourth Cosmic Vision Medium class mission (M4).[5]

Science objectives

  • Determine key aspects of the planet formation process. FINESSE would obtain the atmospheric composition measurements of metallicity and carbon/oxygen ratio.[1]
  • Determine key factors that establish planetary climate. FINESSE measurements would determine planetary energy budgets from the dayside to the nightside.[1]

Principle

FINESSE would measure the atmospheric light spectra of exoplanets transiting or eclipsing their parent star.[1] The proposed spectrometer functions on the 0.5-5.0 μm range, on the far infrared wavelegths of λ/Δλ = 80 at 1.2μm, 300 at 3 μm, and it would use a 75 cm diameter primary mirror.[1]

References

  1. 1 2 3 4 5 6 FINESSE Mission to 500+ transiting exoplanets. NASA JPL. Accesses 1 October 2017
  2. ↑ NASA - NASA Selects Science Investigations For Concept Studies, 29 September 2011.
  3. 1 2 3 4 "NASA Selects Proposals to Study Galaxies, Stars, Planets". NASA. 9 August 2017.
  4. 1 2 "FINESSE and ARIEL + CASE: Dedicated Transit Spectroscopy Missions for the Post-TESS Era" (PDF). NASA Cosmic Origins Program Analysis Group (COPAG). Retrieved 28 April 2018.
  5. ↑ Science & Technology Portal staff (20 March 2018). "ESA's next science mission to focus on nature of exoplanets". ESA Science & Technology Portal. European Space Agency. Retrieved 22 March 2018.

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