SIRIUS: stellar and ISM research via in-orbit ultraviolet spectroscopy

SIRIUS is a low cost, observatory-class mission developed from the J-PEX sounding rocket program. It is a mature concept and has undergone a UKSA-funded study before being proposed for the ESA mini-F mission call. It was moved to the F3 program and approved for a stage 2 submission, now under evaluation. The key science goals of SIRIUS are to understand the environments in the nearby regions of the Galaxy, including study of the influence of stellar activity on exoplanet habitability, study of white dwarf atmosphere to measure composition of exoplanetary remnants and observation of the wider interstellar environment in which planetary systems exist. The instrument is a normal incidence objective grating spectrometer operating the EUV from 17 to 26 nm, with a resolving power of 5000. The main goal of the SIRIUS mission is to understand this cosmic feedback system within the Local Cavity and how it influences the habitability of our region of the Galaxy.