Welcome
The Initiative
PANOPTES is creating the world’s first planetary‑scale, distributed telescope network dedicated to detecting long‑period, Earth‑like exoplanets—targets that traditional billion‑dollar observatories and satellite missions are not optimized to capture. Its architecture replaces centralized infrastructure with a synchronized global array of low‑cost, autonomous units, enabling continuous sky coverage and a discovery capability that scales with every new installation.
The model is capital‑efficient, modular, and deployable in any region, including remote and underserved areas. Each unit functions simultaneously as a research instrument and a STEM development platform, embedding advanced scientific capability directly within local institutions. With 26+ deployments, more than 200 institutional partners, and over 3,200 global collaborators, PANOPTES is rapidly evolving into a durable, borderless scientific ecosystem.
Next‑generation prototypes—refined at EPFL, Mount Wilson Observatory, and Hawaii—position the network for expansion toward hundreds and ultimately thousands of units. This growth strategy combines frontier scientific discovery with long‑term workforce development, creating a scalable infrastructure aligned with global education, innovation, and economic development priorities.
PANOPTES is not simply a telescope network; it is a new class of scientific infrastructure designed for scalability, resilience, and global participation.
Executive Summary
The Big Picture
PANOPTES is the only global imaging network designed to detect Earth-like planets that traditional, billion-dollar space missions simply miss. By replacing massive, centralized observatories with a “swarm” of AI-driven robotic units, we’ve broken the link between high-level discovery and massive budgets. This isn’t just a telescope; it’s a scalable, borderless scientific instrument that democratizes space exploration while building a global pipeline of high-tech talent and innovation.
The Finer Points
PANOPTES is a distributed, modular network of low-cost robotic wide-field telescopes purpose-built for exoplanet research, with a distinctive focus on detecting long-period, Earth-like planets. Unlike most current exoplanet surveys that prioritize short-period planets due to observational constraints, PANOPTES leverages continuous, wide-field monitoring across a globally distributed network to target longer-period exoplanets—those more analogous to Earth in orbital scale. This strategy positions PANOPTES as the only telescope network currently combining wide-field architecture with a dedicated emphasis on long-period exoplanet detection. Beyond its scientific differentiation, PANOPTES is structurally designed to democratize participation in frontier astronomy. Rather than concentrating infrastructure within a small number of large institutions, each deployable unit can be installed in remote or underserved regions, embedding advanced research capability directly within local universities and communities. The system is capital-efficient, modular, and scalable, reducing concentration risk while enabling incremental expansion. Every installation functions not only as a research instrument, but as a STEM capacity-building platform—supporting engineering training, data science development, AI applications, and long-term scientific workforce growth. By integrating frontier exoplanet discovery with distributed infrastructure and local empowerment, PANOPTES creates a model in which cutting-edge science and economic development reinforce one another.
Vision
The Big Picture
We are building the largest distributed scientific instrument in history. By deploying thousands of autonomous units, PANOPTES provides a 24/7 “live feed” of the entire night sky—achieving discovery power that elite, billion-dollar observatories cannot match. Crucially, our low-cost architecture brings frontier science to remote and underserved areas heretofore overlooked, transforming these regions into global hubs for high-tech innovation and discovery.
The Finer Points
We are building the largest distributed telescope network in history — a planetary-scale scientific instrument owned by people, powered by students, and deployed without borders. PANOPTES will become the world’s leading wide-field network dedicated to discovering long-period, Earth-like exoplanets — a niche observational domain that neither satellite missions nor large centralized telescopes are designed to sustain at scale.
We envision a future where advanced astronomical infrastructure is no longer confined to a handful of elite institutions, but embedded across continents — in universities, emerging regions, and underserved communities — forming a globally synchronized scientific system. Our goal is to scale from dozens to hundreds, and ultimately thousands, of interconnected units, creating a network whose combined sky coverage and temporal reach rivals — and in key dimensions surpasses — the capabilities of the largest single observatories.
Beyond discovery, PANOPTES will serve as a permanent engine of STEM capacity building, technological training, and economic activation — transforming each installation into a hub of research, innovation, and workforce development.
We are not building a telescope — we are building distributed scientific infrastructure for the 21st century — scalable, collaborative, community-embedded, and designed to endure.
The PANOPTES Edge
The Big Picture
PANOPTES is a fundamentally new category of scientific engine. While billion-dollar satellites and giant ground observatories are limited by their narrow focus, our global network utilizes an ultra-wide field of view to achieve what is physically impossible for traditional infrastructure: persistent, 24/7 monitoring of the entire sky. By operating as a synchronized global network, we own the “long-period” discovery niche, capturing more Earth-like planets that require a continuous gaze that no single telescope or satellite mission can sustain.
The Finer Points
Only wide-field telescope network dedicated to long-period, Earth-like exoplanets — a niche observational strategy that neither large narrow-field ground observatories nor satellite missions are optimized to sustain.
A distributed global network built for collaboration — operating as an interconnected scientific system rather than a single centralized facility.
Student-driven and community-embedded — designed to be locally hosted, institutionally partnered, and globally coordinated, shifting ownership of discovery toward people rather than gatekeepers.
Scientifically validated and research-proven — built upon years of peer-reviewed development, engineering refinement, and operational field experience.
Capital-efficient, modular, and scalable — enabling incremental expansion without the concentration risk of billion-dollar infrastructure.
Deployable anywhere — including remote and underserved regions, transforming geography from a barrier into an opportunity.
An integrated STEM and workforce development engine — every installation serves as a training ground for engineers, data scientists, researchers, and students.
Central to an economic development framework — functioning not only as a telescope, but as a node for technological capacity-building and regional scientific advancement.
A growing global collaboration — with more than 3,200 international partners contributing to and benefiting from the network.
History
Project PANOPTES was founded by Dr. Olivier Guyon as a student-driven research initiative to develop low-cost, robotic telescopes for exoplanet detection. Over time, the team published peer-reviewed research and deployed 26 units worldwide, validating the distributed network model. Following global infrastructure shifts during COVID and the support of Breakthrough Initiatives, the project underwent a technological and strategic transformation, leading to the development of a significantly more advanced prototype and an expanded vision: scaling from dozens to potentially hundreds or even 1,000 interconnected units to form a global observational network. Partnerships have grown substantially — particularly across Africa — and a pilot program initiated in Bhutan has successfully combined telescope deployment with research, education, and economic development. The next-generation PANOPTES units are currently being refined at EPFL, Mount Wilson Observatory, and in Hawaii, positioning the project at the forefront of distributed exoplanet research and global scientific capacity building.
Scientific Background
Project PANOPTES (the Panoptic Astronomical Networked Observatories for a Public Transiting Exoplanets Survey) was developed as a citizen-science exoplanet survey that uses low-cost, wide-field robotic imaging units built from commercial DSLR cameras to monitor large portions of the night sky for transiting exoplanets. Early peer-reviewed work by Guyon, Gee, Walawender, and others demonstrates that precise photometric measurements — sufficient to detect changes in stellar brightness caused by orbiting planets — can be achieved with inexpensive, automated units, and that three generations of prototypes have validated the design’s robustness, simplicity, and cost efficiency for wide-field astronomical imaging. PANOPTES units run automatically each night, can be assembled by students or amateur astronomers, and offer significantly greater etendue per cost than traditional wide-field surveys, making them uniquely scalable for broad participation. The project’s vision is to build a global collaborative network of thousands of units that engages schools, citizen scientists, and research institutions in both scientific discovery and education, fostering a community-driven model for contributing real astronomical data.
PANOPTES – Objectives Moving Forward
1. Scientific Leadership in Long-Period Exoplanet Detection
Establish PANOPTES as the leading wide-field, ground-based network dedicated to detecting long-period, Earth-like exoplanets through sustained global monitoring and coordinated data analysis.
2.Scale the Global Network
Expand from the existing 26+ deployments toward 100, 300, and ultimately 1,000 interconnected units to create a distributed observational infrastructure whose collective capability rivals major centralized facilities.
3.Refine and Standardize the Advanced Prototype
Finalize optimization of the next-generation PANOPTES unit (currently refined at EPFL, Mount Wilson, and Hawaii) and standardize it for scalable global deployment.
4.Build a Self-Replicating Mentorship Model
Train expert students at each deployment site who become regional mentors, creating a self-sustaining, generational knowledge-transfer ecosystem that reduces reliance on central oversight.
5.Integrate STEM Capacity Building at Every Site
Ensure that every PANOPTES installation functions as both a research instrument and a STEM development hub, embedding engineering, data science, AI, and research training into local institutions.
6.Deploy in Remote and Underserved Regions
Prioritize installations in regions with limited access to advanced scientific infrastructure, transforming geographic isolation into scientific opportunity.
7.Strengthen Data Infrastructure and Governance
Secure stable, regionally appropriate data-hosting partnerships and establish a long-term governance structure to support distributed ownership and global coordination.
8.Embed PANOPTES in an Economic Development Framework
Position each installation as part of a broader regional innovation ecosystem — linking research, education, workforce development, and technological capacity building.
9.Expand Strategic Global Partnerships
Leverage existing 3,200+ global collaborators and deepen partnerships with universities, governments, foundations, and research institutions — particularly in Africa and emerging regions.
10.Establish Long-Term Institutional Sustainability
Transition PANOPTES into a globally replicating, community-embedded scientific infrastructure capable of expanding with decreasing dependence on the founding team.
Partners
The global response to PANOPTES has only just begun — and it is already remarkable. Interest from across the astronomical community, particularly in remote and underserved regions, signals a deep and widespread readiness for a new kind of scientific infrastructure. Institutions, educators, researchers, and emerging scientific leaders are not merely supportive; they are eager and impatient to participate.
In many parts of the world, PANOPTES represents something entirely new: the opportunity to join a globally connected research network where none previously existed. It is laying the foundation for a distributed support system that bridges geography, resources, and institutional boundaries — creating access where access has long been limited.
More than 200 partners, Universities and Governments, have already aligned with the vision, forming the early framework of what is poised to become a planetary-scale scientific collaboration. This network is not being built solely for the PANOPTES project itself, but as durable infrastructure for future scientific and technological movements.
We are witnessing the early formation of a new global coalition — one that is ready, motivated, and prepared to scale.
Team
Morgan Delachaux
Morgan Delachaux brings global strategic leadership shaped by his work within the United Nations system and his role within the Delachaux Group, an international industrial and technology enterprise. His experience spans cross-border governance, institutional coordination, and large-scale infrastructure development. With deep exposure to global policy environments and private-sector industrial strategy, he contributes high-level international perspective, structural thinking, and long-term vision to initiatives operating across geopolitical boundaries.
Dr. Claude Nicollier
Dr. Claude Nicollier, former ESA & NASA astronaut, flew five Space Shuttle (STS) missions and is internationally recognized for his role in the servicing and repair of the Hubble Space Telescope. His distinguished career in human spaceflight and orbital operations lends exceptional credibility and inspiration to the initiative. His support reflects the alignment of PANOPTES with the broader legacy of international space collaboration and scientific advancement.
Dr. Olivier Guyon – Subaru Telescope – Founder of PANOPTES
Dr. Olivier Guyon is an internationally recognized astronomer and instrumentalist known for his pioneering work in high-contrast imaging and direct exoplanet detection. At the Subaru Telescope, he plays a central role in advancing adaptive optics and coronagraphic technologies that enabled the direct imaging and characterization of exoplanetary systems and circumstellar disks. His work has contributed to the study of planetary system architectures beyond our own, including the detection and analysis of complex exosolar environments that inform our understanding of planet formation and evolution. Widely regarded as a leader in next-generation astronomical instrumentation, Dr. Guyon combines deep theoretical insight with practical engineering innovation. As Founder of PANOPTES, he brings decades of frontier exoplanet research and instrumentation expertise to the initiative, anchoring it in world-class scientific discovery.
Anne Chamberlain – Managing Director, Project PANOPTES World Initiative
With a background in International Relations and Development, followed by a transition into IT network and systems engineering, Anne Chamberlainhas built a career spanning five continents across corporate, NGO, and scientific sectors. They joined Project PANOPTES in 2018 and played a key role in its evolution from a kitchen‑table effort during COVID to a globally connected initiative. Supported by the Breakthrough Initiatives, they established the project’s first African partnerships, authored major proposals, secured new sponsors, and expanded the international network. They also initiated the development of a new prototype station in collaboration with Swiss polytechnic institutions. Today, Anne Chamberlain serves as Managing Director of the PANOPTES World Initiative
Olivier Guyon
Morgan Delachaux
Anne Chamberlain
Kaloyan Penev
Team Bhutan
Team EPFL
Team Hawai`i
Project PANOPTES International
Impact
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Project PANOPTES International
Progress
The PANOPTES Network has rapidly expanded to more than 25 units worldwide, including six new prototypes already collecting data, and now collaborates with over 150 partners across Africa, Europe, and Asia. This growing global community is supported by a diverse group of sponsors—ranging from astronauts to aerospace innovators and autonomous‑vehicle pioneers—and the project’s early development was made possible through foundational support from the Breakthrough Initiative.
