PLATO mission set for late 2026 launch aboard Ariane 6

PLATO mission set for late 2026 launch aboard Ariane 6
by Robert Schreiber
Berlin, Germany (SPX) Jan 31, 2025

On January 29, 2025, senior officials from the European Space Agency (ESA) and Arianespace formalized the launch contract for ESA's PLATO science mission. The agreement was signed by Carole Mundell, ESA's Director of Science; Toni Tolker-Nielsen, ESA's Director of Space Transportation; and Steven Rutgers, Chief Commercial Officer of Arianespace. The German Aerospace Center (DLR) is playing a key role in the PLATO mission, leading the payload consortium and contributing vital electronics for two critical cameras, in addition to its significant scientific involvement.

The German contribution to PLATO is supported by the German Space Agency at DLR through funding from the Federal Ministry for Economic Affairs and Climate Action (BWMK), along with core funding from DLR and the Max Planck Society. The contract signing took place at the European Space Conference in Brussels, Belgium. PLATO is scheduled to lift off from Europe's Spaceport in French Guiana aboard an Ariane 6 rocket equipped with two boosters in late 2026.

PLATO, short for PLAnetary Transits and Oscillations of stars, is being developed by an industrial core team led by OHB Bremen, working alongside ThalesAlenia Space and Beyond Gravity. The Max Planck Institute for Solar System Research in Gottingen is overseeing the development and operation of the PLATO Data Center (PDC), which will handle data calibration and validation while generating high-quality scientific data products.

The PLATO spacecraft has a distinctive design tailored for astronomical observations. Instead of employing a single large telescope, it features 26 individual lenses equipped with cameras mounted on an optical bench, enabling a much broader field of view than conventional space telescopes.

Searching for Earth-like planets in the Milky Way

PLATO's primary mission is to discover Earth-like exoplanets orbiting Sun-like stars in the Milky Way, particularly those that might have conditions suitable for life. To achieve this, the spacecraft will be positioned at Lagrange point 2 (L2), a stable region in space 1.5 million kilometers from Earth along the Sun-Earth axis. This location, also home to the James Webb Space Telescope, allows PLATO to conduct continuous, uninterrupted observations without interference from Earth's atmosphere.

PLATO will utilize its 26 cameras to observe approximately 200,000 stars in overlapping fields of view. The mission will detect exoplanets using the transit method, which measures tiny dips in starlight when a planet passes in front of its host star, temporarily dimming its brightness.

Understanding Lagrange point 2

Lagrange point 2 (L2) is an optimal location for space telescopes due to its gravitational stability, allowing satellites to remain in a fixed position relative to Earth and the Sun with minimal fuel expenditure. L2 offers an ideal vantage point for deep-space observations, providing a stable environment free from terrestrial radiation while ensuring continuous communication with Earth.

"This mission will bring us closer to answering one of humanity's most important questions: Has life also developed on other planets?" said Heike Rauer from the DLR Institute of Planetary Research and Freie Universitat Berlin, who leads the payload consortium for the PLATO mission.

Ariane 6, Europe's latest heavy-lift rocket, successfully launched its first flight in July 2024, with a second mission scheduled for February 2025. As the launch cadence increases, Ariane 6 is expected to provide greater flexibility and cost efficiency compared to its predecessor. The rocket's modular design, featuring an upgraded main stage, configurable boosters, and a restartable upper stage, ensures adaptability for various mission profiles.