ATLAST (The Advanced Technology Large-Aperture Space Telescope) is the acronym that distinguishes the project of the next Hubble space telescope: a little gem capable of studying and mapping the atmosphere and surface of habitable exoplanets within a radius of 200 light years.
The ability to capture light in all its spectrum and the very advanced technologies are two particularities that can easily be summarized in a feature that will make ATLAST the largest human eye on the universe: the size of the optics. The 'old' Hubble 2.0 has the large 6,5 lens .12 meters. The largest optical telescope on Earth, the Large Binocular Telescope has an optical aperture of 16 meters. ATLAST will aim to have XNUMX.
In other words, 5 to 10 times the observation capacity that the best current telescope can currently boast, but with a sensitivity limit of up to 2000 times greater. This enormous deployment of forces will not only allow us to observe and search for habitable planets in a wider belt (200 light years), but also to measure their surface and atmosphere: a bit like looking directly in search of extraterrestrial life. I am convinced that the presence of intelligent life in the universe is an obvious and inevitable detail, and that our 'encounter' with civilizations different from ours depends on time: perhaps there will not be landings of spaceships like in science fiction films, but one day we could take a photo of friends who were very, very far away.
And start thinking: how do we tell them we're here?
Well: the problem will arise in no less than 20 years: the eye of the ATLAST is expected to be launched on an intermediate date between 2025 and 2035. Our nice telescope will position itself in a geostationary orbit and will start looking around until to 2055. I could be 80 when he retires. Better not to think about it :)
