The Keck Interferometer combined the light of the world's largest optical telescopes to measure the emission from dust orbiting nearby stars and to directly detect and characterize hot gas giant planets in other solar systems.
The proposed SIM Lite mission would have measured the distances and positions of stars several hundred times more accurately than any previous observations. SIM's precision would have allowed us to determine the distances to stars throughout the galaxy and to detect evidence of planets just slightly larger than Earth.
The Terrestrial Planet Finder Coronagraph was a mission concept previously under study by NASA. TPF-C would examine all aspects of planets outside our solar system: from their formation and development in disks of dust and gas around newly forming stars to their suitability as abodes for life.
The Terrestrial Planet Finder Inteferometer was a mission concept previously under study by NASA. TPF-I would study all aspects of planets outside our solar system: from their formation and development in disks of dust and gas around newly forming stars to the presence and features of those planets orbiting the nearest stars; from the numbers at various sizes and places to their suitability as abodes for life.
