EXOSIMS: The open-source Python simulator that lets you design and test exoplanet direct imaging missions before they launch, from coronagraph performance to observation scheduling.

Imagine planning a billion-dollar space telescope mission to directly image Earth-like exoplanets around nearby stars. How do you optimize observation strategies, account for stellar brightness variations, and predict detection yields before committing to hardware? EXOSIMS (Exoplanet Open-Source Imaging Mission Simulator) tackles this monumental challenge by providing a comprehensive simulation framework for direct imaging missions like the proposed HabEx and LUVOIR observatories.

Built in Python and powered by AstroPy, EXOSIMS offers a modular architecture that simulates every aspect of exoplanet detection missions. It models stellar catalogs, planetary populations, coronagraph performance, observation scheduling, and detection statistics. Researchers can experiment with different mission architectures, optimize observing strategies, and predict scientific yields across various scenarios. The simulator handles complex astrophysical phenomena including stellar leakage, zodiacal light, and instrument noise, providing realistic performance estimates for proposed space-based coronagraphs.

Developed through NASA’s Exoplanet Exploration Program and actively used in yield modeling workshops, EXOSIMS serves as the standard tool for mission planners designing the next generation of exoplanet hunters. Whether you’re optimizing telescope designs, scheduling observations, or exploring trade-offs between mission parameters, this simulator bridges the gap between theoretical concepts and real-world mission constraints in humanity’s quest to image other Earths.

⭐ Stars: 36
💻 Language: Python
🔗 Repository: dsavransky/EXOSIMS