The project assembles a team of experts from across the country to prove technology that will help search for life outside our solar system
In 2029, the University of Michigan Department of Astronomy will lead its inaugural space mission, thanks to a $10 million NASA grant. The mission, named STARI—STarlight Acquisition and Reflection toward Interferometry—aims to demonstrate a groundbreaking technique for studying exoplanets, which reside outside our solar system. This method could one day reveal whether these distant planets can support life. The initiative marks a significant step in space exploration, focusing on direct observation of exoplanets.
“We’ve detected thousands of these planets and most by indirect means—in other words, not directly through the light they emit,” said John Monnier, U-M professor of astronomy and project leader. “It’s time to change that.”
Proof of technology
STARI won’t directly study exoplanets but will validate technology for interferometry, paving the way for future missions to uncover extraterrestrial life. Interferometry, involving multiple satellites, requires precise coordination to reflect starlight. STARI aims to demonstrate this precision using two CubeSats, each the size of a briefcase. “The most challenging aspect will be achieving the precise coordination and control required for formation flying on a CubeSat platform,” said Gautam Vasisht, a research scientist at NASA’s Jet Propulsion Laboratory.
CubeSats offer an affordable way to test these advanced technologies, despite not matching larger satellites in performance. “By testing formation flying technologies on a CubeSat platform, STARI paves the way for future missions that could revolutionize our ability to study distant Earth-like planets,” Vasisht noted.
The project involves experts nationwide, including Simone D’Amico at Stanford University, E. Glenn Lightsey at Georgia Tech, and Leonid Pogorelyuk at RPI. James Cutler from U-M’s Space Institute also plays a key role.
An all-STARI team
Collaboration is essential for STARI’s success. “The team combines expertise in formation-flying, optical interferometry, propulsion, and system engineering,” said D’Amico. His experience in satellite missions highlights the unique precision STARI requires. “This has never been accomplished before,” D’Amico added. Lightsey sees STARI as a shift in space missions, utilizing multiple vessels. “It’s going to lead to incredible scientific discoveries and improvements in human life on Earth,” he said.
Although new for Michigan’s astronomy department, U-M has a storied space history. Cutler, leader of the Michigan Exploration Laboratory, has already launched nine satellites. “We’ve pioneered CubeSats for space weather studies and exploration,” Cutler stated. MXL will integrate and optimize STARI. “Having STARI led by U-M Astronomy is a major milestone,” said Michael Meyer, chair of the Department of Astronomy.
STARI, STARI flight
Scientists use transmission spectroscopy to analyze exoplanet atmospheres. However, astronomers seek tools to detect infrared light from cooler planets against brighter stars. Larger Earth-based telescopes are in development, like the Extremely Large Telescope in Chile. U-M astronomers are involved in this project and are also exploring interferometry. This technique uses multiple satellites to combine light beams, revealing exoplanet atmospheres. STARI will test its satellites’ ability to gather light and transmit it over distances.
Maintaining satellite position within millimeters is crucial, said Pogorelyuk, a collaborator from RPI. “The way you do things in space is very different from how you do things on Earth,” he noted. The team is optimistic about overcoming challenges and advancing projects like the Large Interferometer For Exoplanets, or LIFE. “While we feel that the worldwide scientific community strongly supports our ambition, we also know that we still have some scientific and technological challenges to overcome before we have LIFE on the launch pad,” said Sascha Quanz, LIFE’s principal investigator.
STARI’s success could pave the way for future space interferometers capable of imaging Earth-like planets, Monnier said. “We hope the technology developed by STARI will lead to a future space interferometer capable of imaging Earth-like planets around nearby stars, with enough capability to search for signs of life,” he concluded.
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