Do you know about PLATO?

Europe’s upcoming space mission, PLATO, has a grand objective: to seek out Earth-like planets that reside beyond our own solar system. Set to take off no later than 2026, this advanced telescope aims to unravel the mysteries of distant rocky planets. PLATO, short for Planetary Transits and Oscillations of stars, will identify and study exoplanets using a method called transit photometry. By monitoring and analyzing the subtle dips in starlight caused by the passage of an orbiting planet, scientists hope to discover new worlds similar to our own.
With its unique capabilities, PLATO will scrutinize a large portion of the sky and examine over a million stars. Its primary goals include determining the size, mass, and composition of these exoplanets, ultimately assessing whether they reside within the habitable zone. Observations made by PLATO will vastly improve our understanding of how common rocky planets like Earth are throughout the galaxy.
The mission will also consider a planet's potential for hosting life, as well as the possible presence of atmospheres and oceans. This invaluable information will pave the way for future missions, building our knowledge of the cosmos and bringing us closer to the exciting prospect of discovering other habitable worlds. PLATO is a significant step forward in our quest to unravel the mysteries of the universe and find Earth's celestial neighbors.