ARIEL

Ariel (Atmospheric Remote-sensing Infrared Exoplanet Large-survey) is a planned space telescope and the fourth medium-class mission of the European Space Agency's Cosmic Vision programme. The mission is aimed at observing at least 1,000 known exoplanets using the transit method, studying and characterising the planets' chemical composition and thermal structures. Compared to the James Webb Space Telescope, Ariel will be a much smaller telescope with more observing time available for planet characterisation. Ariel was expected to be launched in 2029 aboard an Arianespace Ariane 6 together with the Comet Interceptor into the Sun-Earth Lagrange point L2. However as of January 2026, it is likely to be delayed until 2031.

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Other observatories worldwide

A Broadband Imaging X-ray All-sky Survey ANTARES ARCADE ARIANNA Experiment ASC-Kislovodsk observatory Karachay-Cherkessia, Russia ASTERIA United States Abbadia Castle Hendaye, France Admiral Vasile Urseanu House, Bucharest Bucharest, Romania