The worlds next door: terrestrial exoplanets with the TOLIMAN space mission

该项目旨在探索我们最近的邻居星星系统，半人马座阿尔法星，首次探测具有类似地球物理特征的系外行星。任何这样的世界的发现，有可能支持一个像我们这样的生物圈，并且距离我们只有4光年，这将深刻改变我们对我们在宇宙中的位置的看法。这一项目的主要成果将是设计、建造、发射和操作一个新颖和创新的空间望远镜：TOLIMAN使命。这对澳大利亚的空间和大学部门有着深远的好处，使他们与国际机构合作，提供具有全球影响力的重大科学：寻找我们通往星际空间的第一个垫脚石。

This project aims to to explore our nearest neighbour star system, Alpha Centauri, for the first time probing for exoplanets with physical characteristics that resemble those of Earth. The finding of any such world, with the potential to support a biosphere like our own and lying only 4 light-years away, would profoundly alter our view of our place in the universe. The primary outcome of this project will be the design, construction, launch and operation of a novel and innovative space telescope: the TOLIMAN mission. This profoundly benefits the Australian space and university sectors, partnering them with international agencies to deliver marquee science with global impact: the search for our first stepping stone to interstellar space.