Determine the Habitable Worlds Observatory coronagraph and telescope design

Determine the exact telescope and coronagraph design choice for the Habitable Worlds Observatory, which remains unresolved because the design is still under active study.

Background

The paper’s contrast predictions depend on the selected coronagraph architecture and wavefront-sensor configuration. The authors note that the Habitable Worlds Observatory design is still being developed and that the precise telescope architecture will determine which instrument and control assumptions are appropriate.

This unresolved design choice is relevant because segmented-aperture geometry, coronagraph selection, and wavefront-control architecture directly affect the achievable raw contrast and the stability requirements for exo-Earth imaging.

References

The design choice for HWO is under active study and will depend on the exact design of the telescope, which is still an open question.

— JWST telemetry combined with active coronagraphy: raw contrast predictions for exoplanet imaging with the Habitable Worlds Observatory  (2608.28322 - Pourcelot et al., 28 Aug 2026) in Section 4, “Instrument modeling”