NASA has announced plans for a next-generation space telescope, the Habitable Worlds Observatory (HWO), which will focus on finding signs of alien life in distant star systems. The project, expected to launch in the 2040s, will be capable of detecting atmospheric conditions that support life beyond Earth.
Dr. Bill Nelson, NASA Administrator, said, “This telescope will revolutionize our search for extraterrestrial life, allowing us to explore habitable planets with unprecedented detail.”
The HWO will be more advanced than the James Webb Space Telescope, using new technology to filter out starlight and provide clearer images of exoplanets. Scientists are particularly interested in detecting biosignatures such as oxygen, methane, and water vapor.
The project has excited astronomers worldwide, as it could answer one of humanity’s biggest questions: Are we alone in the universe?
