Artist rendition of the search for exoplanetary systems. Photo: ESA/C. Carreau

[Via Satellite 01-12-2015] The European Space Agency (ESA) has selected Thales Alenia Space for one of the three phase B1 studies of the Planetary Transits and Oscillation of Stars (PLATO) program, part of ESA’s Cosmic Vision 2015-25. The main purpose of the PLATO mission, scheduled for launch in 2024, is to study planetary systems outside the solar system by identifying and analyzing planetary transits.

Phase B1 entails the consolidation of all mission, system and subsystem requirements, including definition of the satellite configuration and operational aspects, comparative analyses and assessment of scientific performance. Thales Alenia Space Italia will conduct this phase of the project by defining the system and subsystem aspects of the satellite, with Thales Alenia Space France providing the payload definition.