Origins Space Telescope: From First Light to Life -- ESA Voyage 2050
  White Paper
  The Origins Space Telescope (Origins) is one of four science and technology
definition studies selected by National Aeronautics and Space Administration
(NASA) in preparation of the 2020 Astronomy and Astrophysics Decadal survey in
the US. Origins will trace the history of our origins from the time dust and
heavy elements permanently altered the cosmic landscape to present-day life. It
is designed to answer three major science questions: How do galaxies form
stars, make metals, and grow their central supermassive black holes from
reionization? How do the conditions for habitability develop during the process
of planet formation? Do planets orbiting M-dwarf stars support life? Origins
operates at mid- to far-infrared wavelengths from ~2.8 to 588 {\mu}m, is more
than 1000 times more sensitive than prior far-IR missions due to its cold (~4.5
K) aperture and state-of-the-art instruments.
