NASA Advances Tech to Discover Earth-Like Planets

Congressional language in the fiscal year 2024 omnibus spending bill has forced NASA to disband the Science, Technology, Architecture Review Team (START) for the Habitable Worlds Observatory, a large space telescope planned for the early 2040s. The bill mandates NASA to spend at least $10 million on the project this year and establish a project office at the Goddard Space Flight Center, complicating the agency's initial plans for early development. Despite this, NASA will continue its efforts through volunteer working groups and maintain a broad, inclusive program.