In December 2006 the NSF-NASA-DOE Astronomy and Astrophysics Advisory Committee (AAAC) established an ExoPlanet Task Force (ExoPTF) as a subcommittee to advise NSF and NASA on the future of the ground-based and space-based search for and study of exo-planets, planetary systems, Earth-like planets and habitable environments around other stars. The ExoPTF is asked to recommend a 15-year strategy to detect and characterize exo-planets and planetary systems, and their formation and evolution, including specifically the identification of nearby candidate Earth-like planets and study of their habitability.

The ExoPTF announced a call for White Papers, and these were due on April 2, 2007. JPL researchers submitted several White Papers to the Task Force, covering a range of techniques, instruments, and missions. You can read these JPL White Papers by clicking on the links below. If you have questions or comments on individual White Papers, we suggest you contact the authors. More information about the ExoPlanets Task Force may be found on the NSF website.

Task Force White Papers by JPL authors: