Cosmic Vision 2015-2025: Planets and Life

20 Jan 2006
We present the first in a series of four articles which look in detail at the different concepts
supporting the main themes of the Cosmic Vision - Space Science for Europe 2015-2025.
Theme 1 - What are the conditions for planet formation and the emergence of life?
A question that fascinates mankind is what was the succession of events after the Big Bang and the
formation of stars and galaxies, and under which conditions, that led to the origin of life on Earth?
Equally captivating is the question of whether life exists elsewhere in the Universe and, if so, in what
forms, on which kind of planets and linked to which type of stars.
We are now at a unique moment in human history. For the first time, we are able to build instruments
that allow us to investigate directly how unique the Earth is and whether or not we are alone in the
Universe. Discovering Earth's sisters and possibly life is the first step in the fundamental quest of
understanding what succession of events led to the emergence and survival of life on Earth. For this, we
need to know how, where and when stars form from gas and dust and how, where and when planets
emerge from this process. This is certainly one of the most important scientific goals that ESA and
Europe could set themselves.

While our understanding of stellar evolution is making giant leaps

forward, we still lack a comprehensive theory explaining why and how
stars form from interstellar matter and, apparently quite often,
planetary systems with them. The formation of planets has to be
considered in the wider context of star formation and circumstellar disc
evolution.
Goal
Map the birth of stars and planets by peering into the highly obscured
cocoons where they form
Concepts
1.

2.

Investigate star-formation areas, proto-stars and protoplanetary discs and find out what kinds of host stars, in which
locations in the Galaxy, are the most favourable to the
formation of planets
Investigate the conditions for star formation and evolution

Mission Scenarios
1.

Far-infrared observatory with high spatial and low to high

spectral resolution

To guide the theory of planet formation, a complete census of all the

planets from the largest to the smallest out to distances as large as
possible is required. This can be achieved by making use of a variety of
detection techniques, ranging from the high-precision measurement of
radial velocities, high-accuracy astrometry to detect the tiny reflex
motion of the star in the plane of the sky, and photometry to measure
the changes of brightness during a transit or during a gravitational

lensing event.
Goal
Search for planets around stars other than the Sun, looking for
biomarkers in their atmospheres, and image them
Concepts
1.
2.
3.

Direct detection of Earth-like planets,with physical and

chemical characterisation of their atmospheres for the
identification of unique biomarkers
Systematic census of terrestrial planets
Ultimate goal: image terrestrial planets with a large optical
interferometer

Mission Scenarios
1.

Near-infrared nulling interferometer with high spatial

resolution and low resolution spectroscopy

2.

Terrestrial planet astrometric surveyor

The quest for evidence of a second, independent genesis of life in the

Solar System must begin with an understanding of what makes a
planet habitable and how the habitable conditions change, either
improving or degrading with time. For instance, the environmental
conditions on the Earth today are not the same as when life first arose
on this planet. The early Earth, with its oxygen-free atmosphere, high
ultraviolet radiation, high temperatures and slightly acidic waters, could
not support the highly evolved life forms so familiar to us. However, life
could not have arisen on a planet with the environmental conditions
that exist on Earth today.
Goal
Explore in situ the surface and subsurface of solid bodies in the Solar
System most likely to host or have hosted life
Concepts
1.

2.

Mars is ideally suited to address key scientific questions of

habitability. Europa is the other priority for studying internal
structure, composition of ocean and icy crust and radiation
environment around Jupiter
Environmental conditions for the appearance and evolution of
life include not only geological processes, the presence of
water and favourable climatic and atmospheric conditions, but
also the magnetic and radiation environment commanded by
the Sun's magnetic field

Mission Scenarios
1.
2.

Mars exploration with landers and sample return

Europa orbiter and/or lander in Jupiter Exploration Programme
(JEP)

3.

Solar polar orbiter to chart the Sun's magnetic field in 3-D