Darwin infrared space telescope. Computer illustration of one of the European Space Agency's (ESA) proposed Darwin mission telescopes in orbit. The Darwin mission, originally slated for launch in 2015, planned to use three infrared free-flying telescopes that would feed observations to a main communications spacecraft containing a beam combiner, spectrographs and cameras. The mission's aim was to search for signs of life (such as water and ozone) on planets orbiting other stars. However, the mission was shelved in 2007.