PLATO (PLAnetary Transits and Oscillations of stars) is one of the four medium class (M class) missions selected for assessment study in the framework of the ESA Cosmic Vision 2015-2025 program.

The mean scientific goal of PLATO is the discovery and study of extrasolar planetary systems by means of planetary transits detection.


PLATO will observe a large sample of bright stars allowing us to completely characterize the discovered planets and their hosting stars.  Specifically, the characterization includes the seismic analysis of the stars hosting planets in order to precisely determine their mass, radius and age, i.e. those fundamental parameters that are required to precisely derive the same quantities for the hosted planets.


Moreover, the planetary systems discovered by PLATO can be followed-up spectroscopically from ground and space based telescopes in order to: 

  1. Complete the characterization of the orbital parameters

  2. Measure the physicochemical properties of planets and their atmospheres.


History

PLATO was proposed to European Space Agency (ESA) by a team of scientists in response to the Call for ESA Cosmic Vision 2015-2025. The selection of PLATO among the M class missions to further study before final selection was announced in the fall of 2007.

A first assessment study has been carried out at the ESA/CDF, following which ESA has published:

  1. a call for assessment studies of the whole mission  to be carried out independently by two industries;

  2. a call for an assessment study of the PLATO payload (telescopes, detectors, on board and ground based data handling)  that will be provided by a consortium of Research Institutes and Universities.


Status

Currently, both the two industrial studies and the Payload Consortium Study are on going.

These studies will be completed by June 2009.

ESA selection among the chosen competitors is expected for the end of 2009.

 

PLATO is an acronym, but also the name of a famous greek philosopher.

According to Simplicium (VI century a.C.), Plato posed to the astronomers of the Academia the following question: <<What about those uniform and regular motions, assuming which the errant stars orbits are saved ? ».

PLATO was looking for a physical law accounting for the orbit of planets (errant stars)  and contemporary able to satisfy the philosopher’s needs for “uniformity” and “regularity” .

In this web-site it is possible to find information on the project, its science objectives and the organization of the PLATO consortia.   The documentation produced during the current phase is available elsewhere.


Contacts:


  1. For information about PLATO ask:

Claude.Catala at obspm.fr

(PLATO Principal Investigator)


  1. For the site content ask:

Isabella.Pagano at oact.inaf.it

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