A thousand days of CHEOPS

Enabling plentiful research across Europe. Artist's impression of CHEOPS © ESA / ATG medialab - After a thousand days in orbit, the CHEOPS space telescope shows almost no signs of wear. Under these conditions, it could continue to reveal details of some of the most fascinating exoplanets for quite some time. CHEOPS is a joint mission by the European Space Agency (ESA) and Switzerland, under the aegis of the University of Bern in collaboration with the University of Geneva. Since its launch from Europe's Spaceport in French Guiana, on December 18 , 2019, the CHEOPS telescope in Earth's orbit has demonstrated its functionality and precision beyond expectations. During this time, it has revealed the characteristics of numerous fascinating planets beyond our Solar System (exoplanets) and has become a key instrument for astronomers in Europe and worldwide. On December 18, 2019 CHEOPS lifts off from Europe's Spaceport in Kourou, French Guiana © ESA - S. Corvaja - In over a million of minutes of observation time, CHEOPS has revealed exoplanets from every angle: their night sides when they pass in front of their stars, their dayside when they pass behind their stars and all the phases in-between, just like the Moon.