ATLAS Probe/Explorer

About Project

ATLAS (Astrophysics Telescope for Large Area Spectroscopy) Probe is a concept for a NASA probe-class space mission, aimed at providing a high spectroscopic multiplex using digital micro-mirror devices. This project, led by Caltech, involves a large international project team. The ATLAS probe concept is relatively ambitious with a telescope of 1.5 m diameter. The team are currently exploring smaller diameter pathfinder missions, such as ALTAS Explorer and SIRMOS. The AAO’s role in these projects has been critical, that of the optical design for the telescope, fore-optics, and the spectrographs, upon which the overall concepts have been based. (Image: Artist image of ATLAS Probe. Credit: JPL)