NASA Greenlights Artificial Star Mission to Enhance Astronomical Research

The $19.5 million project aims to improve measurements of stellar brightness and aid in the study of dark energy and exoplanet habitability.

The Landolt NASA Space Mission will launch a CubeSat equipped with lasers into geosynchronous orbit by 2029.
The artificial star will provide a constant photon source, allowing precise calibration of telescopes.
This mission is expected to improve the accuracy of stellar luminosity measurements by a factor of ten.
Researchers anticipate new insights into stellar evolution, dark energy, and the search for habitable exoplanets.
The project honors astronomer Arlo Landolt, known for his extensive catalogs of stellar brightness.