This list contains proposals for

space telescopes A space telescope or space observatory is a telescope in outer space used to observe astronomical objects. Suggested by Lyman Spitzer in 1946, the first operational telescopes were the American Orbiting Astronomical Observatory, OAO-2 launched ...

, space-based (situated in space)

astronomical observatories An observatory is a location used for observing terrestrial, marine, or celestial events. Astronomy, climatology/meteorology, geophysical, oceanography and volcanology are examples of disciplines for which observatories have been constructed. His ...

. It is a list of past and present space observatory plans, concepts, and proposals. For observatories in orbit, see

list of space telescopes This list of space telescopes (astronomical space observatories) is grouped by major frequency ranges: gamma ray, x-ray, ultraviolet, visible, infrared, microwave and radio. Telescopes that work in multiple frequency bands are included in all o ...

. Unlike that list, this one includes concepts and proposals that are unlikely ever to be launched, as they may have been cancelled or were only proposals.

Space observatories under development

Merged, cancelled, or superseded space observatories

Additional examples and non-space telescopes

For launch in the 2030s, NASA is evaluating four possible designs: the

Origins Space Telescope Origins Space Telescope (Origins) is a concept study for a far-infrared survey space telescope mission.Lynx X-ray Surveyor The Lynx X-ray Observatory (''Lynx'') is a NASA-funded Large strategic science missions, Large Mission Concept Study commissioned as part of the National Academy of Sciences 2020 Astronomy and Astrophysics Decadal Survey. The concept study phas ...

Habitable Exoplanet Imaging Mission The Habitable Exoplanet Observatory (HabEx) is a space telescope concept that would be optimized to search for and image Earth-size habitable exoplanets in the habitable zones of their stars, where liquid water can exist. HabEx would aim to ...

(HabEx), and Large UV Optical Infrared Surveyor ( LUVOIR).

Balloon-borne telescope A balloon-borne telescope is a type of airborne telescope, a sub-orbital astronomical telescope that is suspended below one or more stratospheric balloons, allowing it to be lifted above the lower, dense part of the Earth's atmosphere. This has ...

s have been in use since the 1950s. A 20–30 meter balloon telescope has been suggested. The balloon would be transparent on one side, and have a circular reflecting mirror on the other side. There are two main designs using this principle. *Large Balloon Reflector (LBR) (sub-orbital version) *Space-based Large Balloon Reflector (LBR) **TeraHertz Space Telescope (TST)

Additional examples

Aditya-L1 Aditya L1 ( sa, आदित्य, lit: Sun, ) is a planned coronagraphy spacecraft to study solar atmosphere, currently being designed and developed by Indian Space Research Organisation (ISRO) and various other Indian research institutes. I ...

Advanced Telescope for High Energy Astrophysics Advanced Telescope for High-ENergy Astrophysics (''Athena'') is an X-ray observatory mission selected by European Space Agency (ESA) within its Cosmic Vision program to address the Hot and Energetic Universe scientific theme. ''Athena'' will ...

(ATHENA) *

Big Bang Observer The Big Bang Observer (BBO) is a proposed successor to the Laser Interferometer Space Antenna (LISA) by the European Space Agency. The primary scientific goal is the observation of gravitational waves from the time shortly after the Big Bang, b ...

* Cosmological Advanced Survey Telescope for Optical and UV Research (CASTOR) *

Deci-hertz Interferometer Gravitational wave Observatory The DECi-hertz Interferometer Gravitational wave Observatory (or DECIGO) is a proposed Japanese, space-based, gravitational wave observatory. The laser interferometric gravitational wave detector is so named because it is to be most sensitive in ...

(DECIGO) *

EChO In audio signal processing and acoustics, an echo is a reflection of sound that arrives at the listener with a delay after the direct sound. The delay is directly proportional to the distance of the reflecting surface from the source and the list ...

* Fast INfrared Exoplanet Spectroscopy Survey Explorer (FINESSE) *

Gravity and Extreme Magnetism Gravity and Extreme Magnetism Small Explorer (GEMS or SMEX-13) mission was a NASA space observatory mission. The main scientific goal of GEMS was to be the first mission to systematically measure the polarization of X-ray sources. GEMS would ...

(GEMS) *

(HabEx), a large UV to NIR focused design, 4 meter mirror *

LOFT A loft is a building's upper storey or elevated area in a room directly under the roof (American usage), or just an attic: a storage space under the roof usually accessed by a ladder (primarily British usage). A loft apartment refers to large ...

- Large Observatory For X-ray Timing *

Large Ultraviolet Optical Infrared Surveyor The Large Ultraviolet Optical Infrared Surveyor, commonly known as LUVOIR (), is a multi-wavelength space telescope concept being developed by NASA under the leadership of a Science and Technology Definition Team. It is one of four large astro ...

Large Interferometer For Exoplanets Large Interferometer For Exoplanets (LIFE) is a project started in 2017 to develop the science, technology and a roadmap for a space mission to detect and characterize the atmospheres of dozens of warm, terrestrial extrasolar planets. The current p ...

Nautilus Deep Space Observatory Nautilus Deep Space Observatory (NDSO) (also known as Nautilus array, Nautilus mission, Nautilus program, Nautilus telescope array and Project Nautilus) is a proposed deep space fleet of space telescopes designed to search for biosignatures of ...

Near-Earth Object Surveillance Mission NEO Surveyor, formerly called Near-Earth Object Camera (NEOCam), then NEO Surveillance Mission, is a planned space-based infrared telescope designed to survey the Solar System for potentially hazardous asteroids. (''Lynx''), an X-ray telescope orders of magnitude more powerful than any previous design * The ''Large Ultraviolet Optical Infrared Surveyor'' (LUVOIR), a large optical UV to near infrared design with 15 meters aperture mirror * The ''Habitable Exoplanet Observatory'' (HabEx), a large UV to NIR focused design and potential starshade * The ''Origins Space Telescope'' (''OST''), a powerful

infrared Infrared (IR), sometimes called infrared light, is electromagnetic radiation (EMR) with wavelengths longer than those of visible light. It is therefore invisible to the human eye. IR is generally understood to encompass wavelengths from around ...

space observatory concept Various proposals or concepts for high-energy light observatories (circa 2010s): * AdEPT: Advanced Energetic Pair Telescope:

pair production Pair production is the creation of a subatomic particle and its antiparticle from a neutral boson. Examples include creating an electron and a positron, a muon and an antimuon, or a proton and an antiproton. Pair production often refers specific ...

telescope concept for gamma-ray

polarimetry Polarimetry is the measurement and interpretation of the polarization of transverse waves, most notably electromagnetic waves, such as radio or light waves. Typically polarimetry is done on electromagnetic waves that have traveled through or hav ...

* AEGIS: Astrophysics Experiment for Grating and Imaging Spectroscopy, soft X-ray spectrometer. * APT: Advanced Pair Telescope * Arcus, X-ray spectrometer concept for International Space Station * ASCOT: Advanced Scintillator Compton Telescope * A-STAR: All-Sky Transient Astrophysics Explorer * Athena, an X-ray observatory * AXSIO: Advanced X-ray Spectroscopic Imaging Observatory * AXTAR: Advanced X-Ray Timing Array, X-ray timing mission * BEST: Black Hole Evolution and Space-Time Observatory (include deep hard X-ray imaging (5 – 70 keV)) * BHI: Black Hole Imager * Black Hole Finder * CASTER: Coded Aperture Survey Telescope for Energetic Radiation * EDGE: Explorer of Diffuse emission and Gamma ray burst Explosions * EPE: Extreme Physics Explorer * EREXS: Epoch of Reionization Energetic X-ray Survey * EXIST: Energetic X-ray Imaging Survey Telescope * Gen-X: The Generation X-Ray Mission * GRAVITAS: General Relativistic Astrophysics Via Timing and Spectroscopy * HEX-P: High-Energy X-ray Probe * INSIST: Indian Spectroscopic Imaging Space Telescope (UV) * ISS-Lobster * IXPE: Imaging X-ray Polarimetry Explorer (launched Dec 2021) * MIRAX: Monitor e Imageador de Raios X * NHXM: New Hard X-ray Mission * Pharos * PheniX, focussing X-ray telescope concept * PRAXyS: Polarimetry of Relativistic X-ray Sources * SAHARA: Spectral Analysis with High Angular Resolution Astronomy * SMART-X: Square Meter, Arcsecond Resolution X-ray Telescope * Tsubame, micro-satellite for X-ray polarimetry * WhimEx: Warm-Hot Inter-Galactic Medium Explorer * WFXIS: Wide-Field X-ray Imaging Spectrometer * WFXT: Wide-Field X-ray Telescope * Xenia: a Probe of Cosmic Chemical Evolution * XIPE: the X-ray Imaging Polarimetry Explorer (ESA) * X-Ray Surveyor

Gallery

File:LISA-waves.jpg, Artist's impression of the

Laser Interferometer Space Antenna The Laser Interferometer Space Antenna (LISA) is a proposed space probe to detect and accurately measure gravitational waves—tiny ripples in the fabric of spacetime—from astronomical sources. LISA would be the first dedicated space-based gr ...

File:SIM-Lite 2008-concept.jpg, Artist's impression of the SIM Lite Astrometric Observatory File:IXOFlyby3Small.jpg, NASA conception of IXO

References

External links

Video (86:49) – "Search for Life in the Universe"
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NASA The National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA ) is an independent agency of the US federal government responsible for the civil space program, aeronautics research, and space research. NASA was established in 1958, succeeding t ...

(July 14, 2014). {{Portal bar, Astronomy, Stars, Spaceflight, Outer space, Solar System * *

space observatories A space telescope or space observatory is a telescope in outer space used to observe astronomical objects. Suggested by Lyman Spitzer in 1946, the first operational telescopes were the American Orbiting Astronomical Observatory, OAO-2 launched ...