Science and Technology for the Era of LIFE

Humanity is on the cusp of addressing one of the most fundamental questions ever conceived – the ancient question about the existence of life beyond Earth. Within the Solar System, we are preparing to bring back soil samples from Mars and to send probes to the clouds of Venus and to potentially habitable moons of the giant planets. But – maybe even more profoundly – we are also reaching beyond the Solar System. We are the first generation that has not only the scientific vision and aspiration, but also the technological means, to investigate distant worlds orbiting other stars and find out if they are habitable or even inhabited. Embedded in a global community, the Large Interferometer for Exoplanets (LIFE) is a European-led space mission project that addresses this grand goal. As a space-based mid-infrared nulling interferometer, LIFE will analyze the atmospheric properties of hundreds of exoplanets including – for the first time – dozens of exoplanets similar to Earth in size and temperature. As such, LIFE has the potential to carry out the most comprehensive program worldwide to search for life on planets beyond the Solar System.

In this first edition of a LIFE-centered conference, we aim to bring together scientists and engineers from both academia and industry to discuss the status of LIFE-related research and technologies. Our goal is to foster intellectual exchange and new collaborations, continue building a strong international community for LIFE, and provide a platform for early career researchers to network and present their work.

We happily welcome professional researchers at all career stages (undergraduate and graduate students, postdocs, staff scientists) who work on scientific topics relevant for the LIFE mission such as:

• Precursor science with ground- or space-based observatories, simulations, and models (e.g., exoplanet demographics, planet formation and evolution, the nearby stellar census)
• Terrestrial exoplanets (e.g., atmospheric properties and processes, habitability, biosignatures, technosignatures, statistical frameworks to quantify scientific return)
• Scientific synergies with ongoing and future missions and instruments (e.g., JWST, Roman, Ariel, Plato, ELTs, HWO)

In the current project phase, a particular focus lies on bringing together the science and technology required for LIFE. We therefore strongly encourage presentations on topics of technology to create awareness about current challenges and identify synergies between ongoing activities. Topics can include:

• Infrared instrument components and subsystems (e.g., detector technologies, photonics, cryogenic optics, nulling test-benches)
• Infrared space telescope technologies (e.g., formation flying, mirrors, structures and mechanisms, thermal control)
• Mission design (e.g., instrument models, yield calculations, mission operations, data analysis)
• Precursor and technology demonstration missions
• Synergies with ongoing and future missions and instruments

Please consider signing up to our mailing list below, and we look forward to welcoming you to Barcelona in November!