AO-1 call - open announcement - PLATO

PLATO’S GUEST OBSERVERS PROGRAMME: AO-1 CALL NOW OPEN

ESA is looking forward to PLATO (PLAnetary Transits and Oscillations of stars), scheduled for launch in under a year. PLATO will monitor a wide field for several years, delivering imagettes and light curves for hundreds of thousands of stars. Its goals include detecting terrestrial planets in habitable zones and advancing asteroseismology, with most data becoming public shortly after validation.

ESA now invites Guest Observer proposals for complementary science. The First Announcement of Opportunity opened on 7 April and will close on 21 May, offering 8% telemetry for new targets, upgraded modes, and a proprietary access period. Proposers are encouraged to review the available material, join community initiatives, and submit their research ideas.