The CHEOPS observatory was sent into Earth orbit on December 18, 2019 on a launch vehicle with an upper stage
Experts from ESA sent a signal to the telescopeopen the 95-centimeter protective partition, which from the moment of launch covered the optical system of the device from dust and bright light sources. The agency notes that the first CHEOPS operation was successful.
In the next two weeks, the mission team willto test the operation of the optical system CHEOPS. The first images will be published in a few weeks, and within two months, scientists will compile a catalog of the primary goals of the mission, consisting mainly of data on stars with the presence of exoplanets. This will allow you to analyze the quality of the data received from the station.
CHEOPS is a telescope developed by ESA thatwill have to enter the polar orbit at an altitude of 800 km above the Earth’s surface. This situation will allow the research apparatus to be constantly at the border of day and night, and its equipment will be able to work almost all the time.
The main task of the new telescope is to conduct additional studies of exoplanets, which TESS has already been able to detect.
The device will combine two methods of observationfor exoplanets - on the disks of parent stars in systems and by the radial velocity method. Their combination will allow you to measure the mass and size of objects, which, in turn, will help establish their internal composition.