NASA Boosts Alien Life Hunt: 7 Tech Partners Join Habitable Worlds Mission

• NASA selected 7 industry partners for the Habitable Worlds Observatory, a flagship mission to search for life on distant Earth-like planets.
• The observatory will directly image exoplanets, using advanced technology to block starlight and analyze atmospheres for biosignatures.
• Key partners include Astroscale U.S. Inc., BAE Systems, L3Harris Technologies, Lockheed Martin, Northrop Grumman, and others, each with a three-year contract.
• Expected to launch in the 2040s, the mission demands extraordinary optical stability and a powerful coronagraph to detect faint planetary signals.
• This foundational step is crucial for discovering extraterrestrial life, redefining humanity's cosmic place, and advancing astrophysics.

Why It Matters: NASA partners with 7 tech firms, accelerating the Habitable Worlds Observatory's quest for alien life.