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Searching for Earth 2.0 has been an obsession of almost all exoplanet hunters since the discipline\u2019s dawn a few decades ago. Since then, they\u2019ve had plenty of technological breakthroughs help them in their quest, but so far, none of them have been capable of providing the clear-cut image needed to prove the existence of an exo-Earth. However, some of those technologies are undoubtedly getting closer, and one of the most interesting is utilizing a system called a multi-grated vector vortex coronagraph (mgVVC). Researchers funded by ESA think it may hold the optical properties to enable space-based telescopes like the Habitable Worlds Observatory (HWO) to finally capture the holy grail of exoplanet hunting \u2013 and it may be ready for prime time as early as next year.<\/p>\n
<\/p>\n That\u2019s the timeline provided by the project team for the Substantiating Unique Patterned Polarization-sensitive Polymer Photonics for Research of Exoplanets with Space-based Systems (SUPPPPRESS) project, based out of Leiden University. ESA funded the project in October 2023 and plans to run for two years. For those two years, its primary focus will be building and testing a mgVVC designed to eliminate one of the biggest challenges related to its implementation\u2014polarization leakage.<\/p>\n To understand why that\u2019s a problem, it\u2019s best first to understand what a vector vortex coronagraph is. A standard coronagraph uses some optical mask or physical disk to block out a star\u2019s light. This allows the light from that star\u2019s exoplanets to shine directly onto its optical system, allowing even relatively standard optics to make out details of the planet, like whether it has water in its atmosphere.<\/p>\n \n