Finding an Earth-like world beyond the solar system is the Holy Grail of exoplanet research, and the field has experienced incredible technological advancements in searching for and identifying exoplanets since the first exoplanet was discovered in 1995. This includes both ground- and space-based telescopes, specifically the powerful James Webb Space Telescope. However, directly imaging exoplanets remains elusive, primarily due to the enormous technological challenge of imaging a point of light so far away.

But a proposed mission called the Habitable Worlds Observatory (HWO) could advance progress towards not only observing but directly imaging Earth-like exoplanets. While HWO has been in the works for about 10 years now, it’s still not slated to launch until sometime in the 2040s. In the meantime, researchers are developing new engineering concepts for this highly anticipated telescope.…