As more and more exoplanets are being discovered, there is a strong motivation for pushing the limits of current
detection methods and atmosphere characterization techniques. The scientific goal is ultimately to discover small rocky
exoplanets in the habitable zone of their host star and to determine whether their atmosphere contains any bio-markers.
Space observatories play an important role in this field, especially in the IR where ground telescopes are limited by
atmospheric absorption and where the star/exoplanet contrast is the lowest. This paper provides an overview of past and
current efforts in the field of space telescopes dedicated to exoplanet research, with an emphasis on ESA missions.
Spacecraft design drivers, highlighting the impact of exoplanet research requirements on the spacecraft design, are
explained when possible. A preliminary mission concept, assessed in the ESA Concurrent Design Facility (CDF),
dedicated to spectroscopic measurements of known exoplanets with the capability to observe several transits of a few
hundred exoplanets, is outlined and the key design challenges shortly discussed.
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