Launch of the CHEOPS space telescope with Portuguese participation

Tomorrow, December 18, at 8:54 a.m. (Portuguese mainland time), the launch of the space telescope CHEOPS - CHaracterising ExOPlanet Satellite, the new ESA mission that has a Portuguese presence, namely the Institute of Astrophysics and Space Science (IA). The IA will broadcast live the launch of CHEOPS through its YouTube channel, between 8:30 am and 12:15 pm.

The telescope will be launched into Earth orbit on a Russian Soyuz rocket from ESA's launch base in Kourou, French Guiana. The launch broadcast will also include interventions by IA researchers José Afonso, Sérgio Sousa (member of the CHEOPS scientific team) and Manuel Abreu. Starting at 11h15, researcher Susana Barros, who is also a member of the mission's scientific team, will answer online to questions posed by the public through the transmission's chat.

The telescope will be positioned in Earth orbit at an altitude of 700 kilometers, and will be tasked with observing bright stars hosting exoplanets ranging in size from Earth to Neptune.

The CHEOPS consortium is led by Switzerland and ESA, with the participation of 11 European countries.