NASA is expected to make a special announcement this week about its WFIRST space telescope mission, and the space agency said Monday, May 18. The declaration will disclose something about the Wide-Field Infrared Survey Telescope, potentially a new detail about the future mission, followed by a live stream chat with project leaders.
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It is not the first time NASA has revealed plans to hold an exclusive live session to discuss findings on one of its missions or happenings. The space agency hasn't mentioned what the public should anticipate. Still, the space geeks will not have to wait long.
According to NASA, the announcement will take place at 11:00 a.m. EDT/8:00 a.m. PDT this Wednesday, May 20. Since making a special broadcast takes the time, the public should assume that the news will likely be significant.
The announcement will take place via the NASA Science Live video to be shared on NASA's main website, as well as via its YouTube channel, Facebook Page, and on its Twitter account. The video below is a scheduled broadcast by NASA; by clicking on the title, you will be taken to the YouTube channel where you can add the title to your playlist before Wednesday.
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A guide to WFIRST
The WFIRST mission involves an observatory built to research the dark matter and dark energy of the universe, and to search for new exoplanets, and more. Despite being the same size as Hubble, in contrast, WFIRST has a view 100 times greater. According to the space agency, the mission is currently expected to begin in the mid-2020s.
A mirror measurement of just under 8 ft in diameter of the telescope, plus WFIRST, will feature two instruments: the Coronagraph Instrument and the Large Field Instrument. WFIRST should be able to view more of the sky than Hubble with the latter device and take less time to do so. A microlensing analysis of the Milky Way's inner portion is expected to discover about 2,600 exoplanets.
Since NASA approved it for hardware development and testing, the space agency's WFIRST just got the official green light last month.
The vast outlook of the telescope on the universe will allow it to detect faint infrared signals over large distances. WFIRST can also create panoramas that reach farther across the cosmos than any previous telescope.
Such skills would be essential if WFIRST is successful in unraveling dark matter and dark energy and in finding new exoplanets that can sustain human life.
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A worthy successor to Hubble?
WFIRST may address questions on a trifecta of universe-wide astrophysics mysteries. These include dark energy, exoplanets, and near-infrared surveys.
The telescope is built to replace the Hubble, a bastion of space science that contributed most amazing observations about the universe.
"WFIRST is designed to address science areas identified as top priorities by the astronomical community," Paul Hertz, director of NASA's Astrophysics Division in Washington, said in a statement.
"The Wide-Field Instrument will give the telescope the ability to capture a single image with the depth and quality of Hubble, but covering 100 times the area," of space, he said.
The Hubble Space Telescope was launched in April 1990. but the telescope is still going strong thanks to five servicing flights. Yet WFIRST is capable of imaging a 100-fold greater area in the sky than currently being studied by Hubble. However, both are fitted with a 2.4-meter telescope to peer through at the cosmos.
The new telescope is identified by NASA as the "wide-eyed cousin" of Hubble, as a single WFIRST-produced image will have as much detail as 100 Hubble-produced images.
