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CHEOPS: CHaracterizing ExOPlanets Satellite

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Handbook of Exoplanets

Abstract

The Characterising Exoplanet Satellite (CHEOPS) was selected on October 19, 2012, as the first small mission (S-mission) in the ESA Science Programme. CHEOPS will be the first mission dedicated to the search for transits of exoplanets by means of ultrahigh precision photometry on bright stars already known to host planets. It will provide the unique capability of determining accurate radii for a subset of those planets for which the mass has already been estimated from ground-based spectroscopic surveys. It will also provide precise radii for new planets discovered by the next generation of ground- or space-based transit surveys (Neptune-size and smaller). By unveiling transiting exoplanets with high potential for in-depth characterization, CHEOPS will also provide prime targets for future instruments suited to the spectroscopic characterization of exoplanetary atmospheres.

To reach these goals, CHEOPS will measure photometric signals with a precision of 20 ppm over 6 h for a magnitude 9 star in the V band. This precision will be achieved by using a single-frame transfer, back-side illuminated CCD detector located in the focal plane assembly of a 33-cm diameter on-axis telescope. The optical design is based on a Ritchey-Chrétien telescope that produces a defocused image of the target star while minimizing the stray light contamination with a dedicated field stop and a baffling system. The spacecraft (280 kg) will be launched as a secondary passenger on a Soyuz rocket from Kourou into a 700 km altitude Sun-synchronous orbit and will have a nominal operational lifetime of 3.5 years.

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Author information

Authors and Affiliations

  1. Physikalisches Institut, Universität Bern, Sidlerstraße 5, CH -3012, Bern, Switzerland

    Willy Benz

  2. Astronomical Observatory of the University of Geneva, 51 chemin des Maillettes 1290, Sauverny, Switzerland

    David Ehrenreich

  3. Science Support Office, European Space Agency - ESTEC, Keplerlaan 1, NL-2201, AZ, Noordwijk, The Netherlands

    Kate Isaak

Authors
  1. Willy Benz
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  2. David Ehrenreich
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  3. Kate Isaak
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Corresponding author

Correspondence to Willy Benz .

Editor information

Editors and Affiliations

  1. Instituto de Astrofísica de Canarias , La Laguna, Spain

    Hans J. Deeg

  2. Instituto de Astrofísica de Canarias, La Laguna, Spain

    Juan Antonio Belmonte

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Benz, W., Ehrenreich, D., Isaak, K. (2017). CHEOPS: CHaracterizing ExOPlanets Satellite. In: Deeg, H., Belmonte, J. (eds) Handbook of Exoplanets . Springer, Cham. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-319-30648-3_84-1

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-319-30648-3_84-1

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  • Print ISBN: 978-3-319-30648-3

  • Online ISBN: 978-3-319-30648-3

  • eBook Packages: Springer Reference Physics and AstronomyReference Module Physical and Materials ScienceReference Module Chemistry, Materials and Physics

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