EXEP — Exoplanet Exploration¶
Created: 2026-04-07 (session 67)
Summary¶
EXEP is a small SMD/APD program with exactly 2 TechPort projects: the NEID precision radial velocity spectrograph (ground-based, TRL 9) and the Roman Coronagraph Instrument (space-based, TRL 9 target). Both are completed. Roman CGI is the most important HWO technology demonstrator: the first space-qualified high-contrast coronagraph, explicitly cited as enabling "the next generation of Earth-like exoplanet direct imaging missions."
2 projects, both Completed. 0 active. Program Director: Dawn M. Gelino (JPL).
Confirmed (session 68): Roman CGI [183298] live API shows Status=Completed, TRL=6, period ended 2024-09-30. TRL 6 = flight hardware delivered to Roman Space Telescope. TRL 9 awaits launch (~2027). Note: Dawn Gelino (JPL) is EXEP PD — separate from Mario Perez who manages APRA/SAT/CT4LT/ISFM/RTF.
Portfolio Overview¶
| Field | Value |
|---|---|
| Total projects | 2 |
| Completed | 2 (100%) |
| Program ID | 88 |
| Mission Directorate | SMD/APD |
| Program contact | Dawn M. Gelino (JPL) |
Data snapshot: 2026-04-04.
Projects¶
183295 — NN-explore Exoplanet Investigations with Doppler (NEID) Spectrograph¶
- Lead: NASA Headquarters (data quirk — actual PI institution unlisted)
- Period: 2021-08-01 to 2025-09-30
- TX: TX08.2.1 Mirror Systems (likely misclassified; should be TX08.1.x spectrograph)
- TRL: 4→9
- Views: 1183
- Science: Precision radial velocity (PRV) measurements of stars to detect and characterize orbiting exoplanets. Measures stellar "wobble" caused by planetary gravitational pull. NEID is installed at the WIYN 3.5m telescope at Kitt Peak National Observatory (KPNO).
- Partnership: Collaborative NASA/NSF program (NN-EXPLORE = NASA-NSF Exoplanet Observational Research)
- Downstream use: Characterize exoplanets discovered by TESS (Transiting Exoplanet Survey Satellite); provide radial velocity confirmation and mass measurements for HWO target selection.
- TRL 9: Ground-based instrument; TRL 9 = operational and producing science data.
183298 — Roman Coronagraph Instrument¶
- Lead: Jet Propulsion Laboratory (JPL)
- Period: 2022-10-01 to 2024-09-30
- TX: TX08.1.3 Optical Components
- TRL: 6 (confirmed live API session 68). TRL 9 was the target; TRL 6 = hardware delivered for flight integration. TRL 9 awaits Roman launch ~2027.
- Views: 1105
- Focus: High-contrast direct imaging coronagraph for the Nancy Grace Roman Space Telescope (formerly WFIRST). Described as "100 to 1,000 times more powerful than any previous coronagraph." Blocks starlight to enable detection of exoplanets and circumstellar disks in reflected starlight.
- Technology demonstrator role: "Following the recommendations of the Astro2010 and Astro2020 decadal surveys, the CGI advances and demonstrates key technologies in space to enable the next generation of Earth-like exoplanet direct imaging missions." — Roman CGI is explicitly HWO precursor technology.
- Roman launch status: Roman is targeted for launch ~2027 (as of April 2026); CGI delivery completed by project end (Sep 2024).
- TRL question: trlCurrent=6 in the TRL field but trlEnd=9 in the TRL range. Likely: flight hardware delivered (TRL 6 = system prototype demonstrated in relevant environment), but TRL 9 (actual space operations) awaits launch. TechPort shows trlCurrent at time of project completion, not at time of flight.
The Coronagraph Infusion Arc¶
The Roman CGI is the pivotal link in a 27-year technology infusion chain:
| Year | Milestone | Program | TRL |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1997 | Xinetics SBIR: PMN electrostrictive DM concept | SBIR | 2 |
| 1997-2013 | JPL DM testing, coronagraph testbed (John Trauger lead) | SBIR/JPL IRAD | →6 |
| 2013 | GCD AFTA-WFIRST Coronagraph ACT [17551] funded | GCD | 3 |
| 2017 | AFTA-WFIRST ACT completes | GCD | 6 |
| 2017 | Transitioned_To "Other NASA Program" (→Roman) | GCD outcome | — |
| 2022 | Roman CGI EXEP project opens | EXEP | — |
| 2024 | Roman CGI flight hardware delivered | EXEP | 6/9 |
| ~2027 | Roman CGI first space coronagraph operations | — | 9 |
| 2024- | CT4LT uses Roman flight heritage for HWO design | CT4LT | — |
Key document: "Precision Deformable Mirrors for High Contrast Imaging from Space" (fileId 357635, from [17551]) — 2-page NASA Technology Infusion story documenting the 1997-2013 DM development arc. PMN 48×48 (2304 actuators), 1×1 mm pitch, 0.03 nm rms surface modulation, stable to 0.1 nm rms/100 hours. Lead developer: John Trauger (JPL, also Hubble ACS PI). Infusion year: 2013. Contact: Jane.Platt@jpl.nasa.gov.
What Roman CGI Demonstrates for HWO¶
The Roman CGI is a technology demonstrator, not just a science instrument. Key tests: - Deformable mirror performance in space: First flight of a high-actuator-count DM (48×48) in cryogenic/vacuum conditions - Starlight suppression at 10^9 contrast: Target: 10^-9 raw contrast at 0.2-1 arcsec separations (a factor of 10-100 below HWO's 10^-10 requirement, but directionally enabling) - Wavefront sensing and control algorithms in space: Closed-loop WFC in the space environment (thermal and vibration perturbations) - Coronagraph mask performance: Hybrid Lyot Coronagraph + Shaped Pupil Coronagraph (two designs) - Photon counting detector: EMCCDs for low-light direct imaging
EXEP as Program Context¶
EXEP appears to be a thin administrative shell in TechPort — only 2 projects, both using different technologies (PRV + coronagraphy). The "Exoplanet Exploration Program" at JPL (managed by Dawn Gelino) is much more extensive than TechPort reveals: it encompasses the TESS mission, Roman CGI science program, WFIRST precursor studies, and HWO science definition. TechPort captures only the technology development projects, not the mission operations or science program.
Related Pages¶
- programs/ct4lt.md — CT4LT uses Roman CGI technology heritage for HWO critical technology maturation
- programs/slstd.md — SLSTD built the observatory-level system design that CT4LT and EXEP implement
- programs/gcd.md — AFTA-WFIRST [17551] (GCD, TRL 6, 2013-2017) is the direct GCD predecessor to Roman CGI
- programs/sat.md — SAT funds the individual instrument subsystems (coronagraph masks, WFC sensors, detectors) that feed into the Roman/HWO coronagraph
- topics/astrophysics-technology-pipeline.md — Full pipeline synthesis
Open Threads¶
- Roman CGI actual TRL at launch: When Roman launches (~2027), will TechPort update the TRL field to 9? History suggests not — most programs don't update TechPort post-launch.
- Roman CGI science data access: The CGI observations will be the first direct images of mature giant exoplanets in reflected starlight. What are the first targets? This is science, not tech, but relevant for HWO target list context.
- EXEP program scope: Are there more EXEP TechPort projects that haven't been indexed? The program manages much more than 2 projects externally. Or is TechPort only capturing the technology development track?