Assam Scientist Joins NASA Hunt for Alien Life

Guwahati: Dr. Angaraj Duara is helping NASA build the tech to spot life in deep space. An Assam-born scientist, Duara joined the Habitable Worlds Observatory project in 2025. He works with the UK-based Centre for Electronic Imaging. His team collaborates with the Jet Propulsion Laboratory to test CMOS image sensors. These detectors must catch faint signals from distant worlds.

The mission targets a 2040 launch date. Scientists want to know if we are alone. Data from the sensors will help researchers scan atmospheres of planets outside our solar system for signs of life. Duara previously worked on the CASTOR Space Telescope. His career centers on detector tech for astrophysics. He spent the last 15 years in the UK. After earning an undergraduate degree at the University of Leicester, he finished his PhD at the Leicester Space Research Centre.

The Observatory represents a flagship effort to study Earth-like planets. Duara called his work on the project "the most exciting phase of his scientific career because of the mission’s potential to address the fundamental question of whether life exists beyond Earth." His expertise keeps him at the forefront of the search for extraterrestrial life.