CHEOPS in-flight performance: A comprehensive look at the first 3.5 yr of operations
Artikel i vetenskaplig tidskrift, 2024
Context. Since the discovery of the first exoplanet almost three decades ago, the number of known exoplanets has increased dramatically. By beginning of the 2000s it was clear that dedicated facilities to advance our studies in this field were needed. The CHaracterising ExOPlanet Satellite (CHEOPS) is a space telescope specifically designed to monitor transiting exoplanets orbiting bright stars. In September 2023, CHEOPS completed its nominal mission duration of 3.5 yr and remains in excellent operational conditions. As a testament to this, the mission has been extended until the end of 2026. Aims. Scientific and instrumental data have been collected throughout in-orbit commissioning and nominal operations, enabling a comprehensive analysis of the missiona's performance. In this article, we present the results of this analysis with a twofold goal. First, we aim to inform the scientific community about the present status of the mission and what can be expected as the instrument ages. Secondly, we intend for this publication to serve as a legacy document for future missions, providing insights and lessons learned from the successful operation of CHEOPS. Methods. To evaluate the instrument performance in flight, we developed a comprehensive monitoring and characterisation (M&C) programme. It consists of dedicated observations that allow us to characterise the instrumenta's response and continuously monitor its behaviour. In addition to the standard collection of nominal science and housekeeping data, these observations provide valuable input for detecting, modelling, and correcting instrument systematics, discovering and addressing anomalies, and comparing the instrumenta's actual performance with expectations. Results. The precision of the CHEOPS measurements has enabled the mission objectives to be met and exceeded. The satellitea's performance remains stable and reliable, ensuring accurate data collection throughout its operational life. Careful modelling of the instrumental systematics allows the data quality to be significantly improved during the light curve analysis phase, resulting in more precise scientific measurements. Conclusions. CHEOPS is compliant with the driving scientific requirements of the mission. Although visible, the ageing of the instrument has not affected the missiona's performance. The satellitea's capabilities remain robust, and we are confident that we will continue to acquire high-quality data during the mission extension.
Telescopes
Techniques: photometric
Planets and satellites: Terrestrial planets
Space vehicles: instruments
Planets and satellites: detection
Författare
A. Fortier
Universität Bern
A.E. Simon
Universität Bern
C. Broeg
Universität Bern
G. Olofsson
Stockholms universitet
A. Deline
Université de Genève
T.G. Wilson
The University of Warwick
P. Maxted
Keele University
A. Collier Cameron
University of St Andrews
A. Brandeker
Stockholms universitet
M. Beck
Université de Genève
A. Bekkelien
Université de Genève
A. Bonfanti
Österreichische Akademie der Wissenschaften
N. Billot
Université de Genève
L. Delrez
Universite de Liège
B.O. Demory
Universität Bern
G. Bruno
Istituto nazionale di astrofisica (INAF)
D. Futyan
Université de Genève
J. Cabrera
Deutsches Zentrums für Luft- und Raumfahrt (DLR)
A. Heitzmann
Université de Genève
K. Isaak
Europeiska rymdorganisationen (ESA)
S.G. Sousa
Universidade do Porto
H.-G. Florén
Stockholms universitet
A. Turin
Laboratoire d'Astrophysique de Marseille
Maximilian N. Günther
Europeiska rymdorganisationen (ESA)
P. Verhoeve
Europeiska rymdorganisationen (ESA)
B. Akinsanmi
Université de Genève
R. Alonso
Instituto de Astrofísica de Canarias
S. Hoyer
Laboratoire d'Astrophysique de Marseille
D. Bánhidi
University of Szeged
T. Bárczy
Admatis
M. Stalport
Universite de Liège
D. Barrado
Centro de Astrobiologia (CAB)
Y. Alibert
Universität Bern
S. Charnoz
Institut de Physique du Globe de Paris
S.C.C. Barros
Universidade do Porto
B. Cseh
Magyar Tudomanyos Akademia
W. Baumjohann
Institut fur Weltraumforschung
T.A. Baycroft
University of Birmingham
M. B. Davies
Lunds universitet
T. Beck
Universität Bern
Y.T. Davis
University of Birmingham
O. Demangeon
Universidade do Porto
W. Benz
Universität Bern
A. Derekas
Eötvös Loránd University (ELTE)
B.I. Bíró
University of Szeged
Georgina Dransfield
University of Birmingham
A. Bódi
Magyar Tudomanyos Akademia
Anders Erikson
Deutsches Zentrums für Luft- und Raumfahrt (DLR)
X. Bonfils
Domaine universitaire de Grenoble
C. Fariña
Universidad de la Laguna
L. Borsato
Istituto nazionale di astrofisica (INAF)
L. Fossati
Institut fur Weltraumforschung
Szilard Csizmadia
Deutsches Zentrums für Luft- und Raumfahrt (DLR)
D. Gandolfi
Universita degli Studi di Torino
Michaël Gillon
Universite de Liège
I. Csányi
University of Szeged
M.A. Gómez-Muñoz
Universidad Nacional Autónoma de México
P. E. Cubillos
Institut fur Weltraumforschung
M. Deleuil
Laboratoire d'Astrophysique de Marseille
T. Pribulla
Slovak Academy of Sciences
Don L. Pollacco
The University of Warwick
D. Queloz
University of Cambridge
N. Rando
Europeiska rymdorganisationen (ESA)
I. Ribas
Consejo Superior de Investigaciones Científicas (CSIC)
L. Sabin
Universidad Nacional Autónoma de México
R. Petrucci
Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Cientificas y Tecnicas
P.P. Pedersen
University of Cambridge
E. Ducrot
Université Paris-Saclay
J. Venturini
Université de Genève
L.J. Garcia
Universite de Liège
Y. Gómez Maqueo Chew
Universidad Nacional Autónoma de México
S. Udry
Université de Genève
D. Kilkenny
University of the Western Cape
Veronica Granata
Istituto nazionale di astrofisica (INAF)
Z. Garai
Eötvös Loránd University (ELTE)
Cs. Kalup
Magyar Tudomanyos Akademia
V. Van Grootel
Universite de Liège
L. L. Kiss
Magyar Tudomanyos Akademia
L. Kriskovics
Magyar Tudomanyos Akademia
M. Gudel
Universität Wien
D. Ehrenreich
Université de Genève
Malcolm Fridlund
Chalmers, Rymd-, geo- och miljövetenskap, Astronomi och plasmafysik
K. W.F. Lam
Deutsches Zentrums für Luft- und Raumfahrt (DLR)
J. Laskar
Observatoire de Paris
P. Guterman
Laboratoire d'Astrophysique de Marseille
T. Hegedüs
University of Szeged
A. Lopez Pina
Airbus Group
D. Wolter
Deutsches Zentrums für Luft- und Raumfahrt (DLR)
R. Wells
Universität Bern
N. A. Walton
University of Cambridge
J. Vinkó
Magyar Tudomanyos Akademia
E. Villaver
Instituto de Astrofísica de Canarias
M. Timmermans
Universite de Liège
Nicolas Thomas
Universität Bern
M.R. Standing
University of Birmingham
A. M.S. Smith
Deutsches Zentrums für Luft- und Raumfahrt (DLR)
D. Segransan
Université de Genève
O.J. Scutt
University of Birmingham
N. Schanche
University of Maryland
Gaetano Scandariato
Istituto nazionale di astrofisica (INAF)
N. C. Santos
Universidade do Porto
Enric Palle
Instituto de Astrofísica de Canarias
Ch. Helling
Institut fur Weltraumforschung
Amaury Triaud
University of Birmingham
Emmanuel Jehin
Universite de Liège
R. Szakáts
Magyar Tudomanyos Akademia
B. Seli
Magyar Tudomanyos Akademia
A. Pál
Magyar Tudomanyos Akademia
R. Southworth
Europeiska rymdorganisationen (ESA)
Gy M. Szabó
Eötvös Loránd University (ELTE)
D. Sebastian
University of Birmingham
U. Schroffenegger
Universität Bern
R. Ottensamer
Universität Wien
H. Rauer
Deutsches Zentrums für Luft- und Raumfahrt (DLR)
A. L. des Etangs
Institut d 'Astrophysique de Paris
Roberto Ragazzoni
Istituto nazionale di astrofisica (INAF)
H. Ottacher
Institut fur Weltraumforschung
M. Lendl
Université de Genève
A. Pizarro-Rubio
Airbus Group
A. Luntzer
Universität Wien
Giampaolo P. Piotto
Istituto nazionale di astrofisica (INAF)
N.J. Miller
Keele University
G. Peter
Deutsches Zentrums für Luft- und Raumfahrt (DLR)
A. Pasetti
High Tech Center 1
D. Magrin
Istituto nazionale di astrofisica (INAF)
I. Pagano
Istituto nazionale di astrofisica (INAF)
D. Modrego Contreras
Instituto Nacional de Tecnica Aeroespacial
C. Mordasini
Universität Bern
M. Munari
Istituto nazionale di astrofisica (INAF)
C.A. Murray
University of Colorado
Valerio Nascimbeni
Istituto nazionale di astrofisica (INAF)
Astronomy and Astrophysics
0004-6361 (ISSN) 1432-0746 (eISSN)
Vol. 687 A302Ämneskategorier (SSIF 2011)
Rymd- och flygteknik
Astronomi, astrofysik och kosmologi
Annan fysik
DOI
10.1051/0004-6361/202348576