The Exoplanet Characterization Observatory (EChO): the Next Tool to Study Exoplanet Atmospheres

The Exoplanet Characterization Observatory (EChO) is an ESA mission currently being assessed for an expected launch in 2020-2022. EChO will be the first dedicated mission to investigate exoplanet atmospheres and will highly impact our understanding of those worlds by providing continuous visible to mid-infrared spectral coverage of a wide range of planets, from gas giants to low-mass planets. During its five-year lifetime EChO will allow us to measure the chemical composition of the exoplanet atmospheres, their temperature, albedo and atmospheric circulation mechanisms, and for the first time put the atmospheric properties of the planets in our Solar System on the wider context of planetary systems in the Universe. In this talk I present EChO to the Spanish astronomical community by providing a description of the science of the mission, some design details, and the anticipated Spanish contribution to the project.