14.3: Future Studies

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https:/exoplanets.nasa.gov/resources/280/light-curve-of-a-planet-transiting-its-star;

GAIA is a European mission launched by ESA in 2013 that will use interferometry to measure precise motions of a billion stars. In addition, TESS is a NASA mission that will use the same strategy as Kepler. ESA also plans to launch the CHEOPS mission that will carefully measure properties of known planets using transits. Finally, the James Webb is expected to open new avenues of planetary detection, including improvements in direct detection.

Transit missions will continue the search for Earth-like planets that cross in front of their stars and find more smaller worlds in the habitable zones. Direction of Earth-like planets will require the use of interferometry and techniques for blocking starlight. Also, astrometric missions will be capable of measuring the "wobble" of a star caused by an orbiting Earth-like planet through precise angular measurements.

We have only begun to study the planets in our galaxy and can expect more surprises and discoveries in the coming years.

https:/commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:NewKeplerPlanetCandidates-20170619.jpg;

https:/exoplanets.nasa.gov/resources/2192/nasas-kepler-mission-by-the-numbers;