The European Spatial Agency retains the mission of exploration of galaxies
The SPICA infrared space telescope has been shortlisted by the European Space Agency (ESA) to participate in the final competition which will see in September 2021 the choice of the next mission of medium size ESA (M5 mission). SPICA is a large infrared telescope (diameter 2.5 m) fully cooled to a temperature of only a few degrees above absolute zero. This concept was proposed to ESA as part of the competition for the M5 mission of the “Cosmic Vision” program (25 proposals submitted) by a consortium of European research laboratories led by Holland in close collaboration with the space agency Japan (JAXA), and in which the CEA (Département d'Astrophysique of CEA-Irfu), the CNRS and their associated universities participate in France with the support of CNES.
See the French version for more : La mission SPICA en compétition pour l'ESA
Contact : Louis RODRIGUEZ, Marc SAUVAGE
see : the CNRS press release (22 May 2018)
see also : Cosmic vision 2015-2025 (18 juillet 2007)