Discovering new horizons in the search for extraterrestrial life
LIOM, the Optomechanical Innovation Laboratory (LIOM) of the Canary Islands Institute of Astrophysics (IAC), is holding its second international meeting under the title Wavefront Sensing and Optomechanical concepts for Large Telescopes. This meeting brings together around thirty specialists in optics, optomechanics and photonics from Europe, Canada and the United States with the aim of continuing to advance in the development of optical and mechanical technologies for future terrestrial telescopes and space missions that allow detecting weak sources to which It cannot be accessed with current telescopes and instruments.
Collaboration for the future of astronomy
The main objective of LIOM is to establish a collaboration that contributes to the development of the next 50 years of astronomical telescopes, whether terrestrial, space or lunar. Jeffrey Kuhn, professor at the University of Hawaii and leader of the project, explains that this collaboration seeks to promote progress in optical and mechanical technologies that allow us to explore the universe in a more precise and detailed way.
Technologies of the future
During the LIOM meeting, the main technologies that will be developed in the next four years will be discussed. These include ultra-thin ultralight mirrors with a new manufacturing procedure, pre-tensioned cables to reduce the weight of telescope structures, as well as photonics and wavefront detection. These technologies are fundamental for the design of the future ExoLife Finder (ELF) telescope, which will be more than 30 meters in diameter and will be able to detect biomarkers on exoplanets and obtain details of their surfaces.
The path to discovery
Before the construction of the ELF telescope, LIOM is working on the Small-ELF prototype, 3.5 meters in diameter, which will serve to test the technology. Nicolas Lodieu, IAC researcher and scientific leader of the Small-ELF, explains that this prototype is essential to guarantee the success of the ELF telescope. The Small-ELF is expected to be permanently installed at the Teide Observatory in 2026, while the ELF telescope will be built in the coming years.
Financing and sponsorship
LIOM is funded by the European Union’s Horizon Europe Research and Innovation Framework Program and is sponsored by an ERA (European Research Area) Chair. This international collaboration and financial support allow LIOM to continue advancing the research and development of technologies that bring us ever closer to the possibility of finding life outside the Solar System.