PHOENIX — NASA is ramping up work on one large space telescope while also laying the groundwork for future observatories.
The agency announced Jan. 5 that it awarded three-year, fixed-price contracts to seven companies to study technologies that could be used for the Habitable Worlds Observatory, or HWO, a large space telescope currently projected to launch sometime in the 2040s. NASA did not disclose the value of the contracts.
The selected companies are Astroscale U.S., BAE Systems Space and Mission Systems, Busek, L3Harris Technologies, Lockheed Martin, Northrop Grumman and Zecoat.
The companies will examine a range of technologies relevant to HWO, Scott Smith, interim project manager for the mission, said during a session at the 247th meeting of the American Astronomical Society here Jan. 6. They range from mirror coatings and stability to “microthruster” propulsion and servicing approaches.
The studies are part of broader NASA efforts to advance the design of HWO while it remains in a preliminary pre-formulation phase. That work includes evaluating different architectures for the telescope and refining key science objectives that will shape the final design.
