NASA on Nostr: The Great Observatory for Long Wavelengths (GO-LoW) ========== The Great Observatory ...
The Great Observatory for Long Wavelengths (GO-LoW)
==========
The Great Observatory for Long Wavelengths (GO-LoW) is a proposed interferometric array of thousands of SmallSats at an Earth-Sun Lagrange point to measure the magnetic fields of terrestrial exoplanets. It aims to detect radio emissions at frequencies between 100 kHz and 15 MHz to gather crucial information about exoplanetary and stellar magnetic fields, the interstellar/intergalactic medium, and the earliest stars and galaxies. The proposed observatory consists of thousands of small, cheap, and easily-replaceable nodes that utilize interferometry to combine signals from spatially separated receivers. The Phase I study showed that a hybrid constellation architecture with listener nodes (LNs) and communication and computation nodes (CCNs) is most efficient. The LNs collect raw radio data using a vector sensor antenna, while the CCNs collect data from LNs, perform beamforming processing, and transmit the data to Earth via free space optics. The Phase I study also demonstrated that the LN-CCN architecture optimizes packing efficiency and allows for deployment using super-heavy lift launch vehicles. The proposed study aims to develop a real-time simulation of the GO-LoW constellation, refine the science case and requirements, develop orbital modeling, and further refine the technology roadmap to make GO-LoW feasible in the next 10-20 years.
https://www.nasa.gov/directorates/stmd/niac/niac-studies/the-great-observatory-for-long-wavelengths-go-low/
==========
The Great Observatory for Long Wavelengths (GO-LoW) is a proposed interferometric array of thousands of SmallSats at an Earth-Sun Lagrange point to measure the magnetic fields of terrestrial exoplanets. It aims to detect radio emissions at frequencies between 100 kHz and 15 MHz to gather crucial information about exoplanetary and stellar magnetic fields, the interstellar/intergalactic medium, and the earliest stars and galaxies. The proposed observatory consists of thousands of small, cheap, and easily-replaceable nodes that utilize interferometry to combine signals from spatially separated receivers. The Phase I study showed that a hybrid constellation architecture with listener nodes (LNs) and communication and computation nodes (CCNs) is most efficient. The LNs collect raw radio data using a vector sensor antenna, while the CCNs collect data from LNs, perform beamforming processing, and transmit the data to Earth via free space optics. The Phase I study also demonstrated that the LN-CCN architecture optimizes packing efficiency and allows for deployment using super-heavy lift launch vehicles. The proposed study aims to develop a real-time simulation of the GO-LoW constellation, refine the science case and requirements, develop orbital modeling, and further refine the technology roadmap to make GO-LoW feasible in the next 10-20 years.
https://www.nasa.gov/directorates/stmd/niac/niac-studies/the-great-observatory-for-long-wavelengths-go-low/