Swarm of telescopes proposed to search for extraterrestrial life in the 2040s (xataka.com)

• LIFE swarm acts as a large interferometer to image exoplanets in mid-infrared.
• Targets biosignatures like ozone, methane, and water in exoplanet atmospheres.
• Launch planned for the 2040s, alongside NASA's HWO observatory.

"Researchers from the W.M. Keck Institute for Space Studies propose a swarm of small spacecraft acting as a large interferometer to directly image exoplanets in mid-infrared. The mission, called LIFE (Large Interferometer for Exoplanets), aims to launch in the 2040s and work alongside NASA's HWO to detect biosignatures such as ozone, methane, and water. Previous similar concepts like NASA's Terrestrial Planet Finder and ESA's Darwin were abandoned."