Habitable Worlds Observatory

  • Released Tuesday, October 1st, 2024
  • Updated Wednesday, March 19th, 2025 at 12:00AM

Overview

The Habitable Worlds Observatory is a large infrared/optical/ultraviolet space telescope recommended by the National Academies' Pathways to Discovery in Astronomy and Astrophysics for the 2020s.

HWO will be the first space telescope designed specifically to search for signs of life and determine how common life is beyond Earth.

This future space observatory will study the universe with unprecedented sensitivity and resolution, giving us new insights into the solar system, stars, galaxies, black holes, dark matter and the evolution of cosmic structure.

HWO will build on the technological foundations of the Hubble, Webb and Roman Space Telescopes, uniting government, industry, academia, and international partners.

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