PLATO| An European Space Agency Mission (2016)

INTRODUCTION

PLATO stands for Planetary Transits & Oscillations Of Stars, it's the third medium class mission in E.S.A's cosmic vision program.

I have discussed about the another E.S.A mission CHEOPS which is related to PLATO, you can check it out at : https://ikanlife16.blogspot.com/search/label/CHEOPS?&max-results=7

The main objectives of this mission are:

1. To find and study large number of exoplanets.
2. To discover habitable zones near solar like stars.
3. To investigate seismic activity to find out different parameters like age of the star.

CONCEPT

PLATO will carry out high precision photometric monitoring in visible band of large samples of bright stars. This will result in light curves which will further be used for detection of planetary transits, radii & for asteroseismology (study of stars using their gentle oscillations) analysis to calculate other stellar parameters. PLATO will also calculate mass of planets from radial velocity observations at ground stations.

SPACECRAFT

PLATO spacecraft has following specifications:

1. 3-axis stabilized system with launch mass of 2165 Kg(including consumables) & size of 3.4*3.3*3.8 m.
2. Will accommodate payload of 26 cameras & protect it from exposure of sun light.
3. Two main payloads which are Payload & Service module.
   

Payload module: It will accommodate cameras and is separated from rest of the spacecraft by a truss like structure with flexible joints made up of carbon fiber to increase stiffness & thermo-elastic deformations.

Service module: It will include sun-shield, propulsion systems, control systems, communication systems(X-band & K-band, steerable high gain antenna & three low gain antennas), thermal control and control & data management. 

PAYLOADS

The main requirement of mission is completed by payloads. It will consist of 24 normal cameras with CCD based focal planes operating in white light, they will be read out with a cadence of 25 s & will monitor stars with m_V > 8.  

2 additional fast cameras with high read-out cadence 2.5 s & will be used for stars with m_V ~4–8.

The normal cameras will be arranged in group of six but will be offset by an angle of 9.2 degree angle from payload module +Z axis. Cameras used will be fully based on dioptic design with 6 lenses. Each camera will have 1100 degree*2 field of view & pupil diameter of 120 mm, 4 CCD's in focal plane array with 4510 * 4510 pixels of 18 μm size.

STATUS

The industrial development phase of PLATO started on 4 October 2018 with the signature of prime industrial contract with OHB system AG.

It will be built & assembled by OHB together with THALES ALENIA SPACE ( France & UK) & RUAG SPACE ( Switzerland) with other E.S.A member states. After achieving this milestone the spacecraft system requirements review & the payloads preliminary design review will begun.

Peace☮