High-redshift extragalactic science with the Single Aperture Large Telescope for Universe Studies (SALTUS) space observatory

Abstract

We present an overview of the high-redshift extragalactic science case for the Single Aperture Large Telescope for Universe Studies (SALTUS) far-infrared (IR) National Aeronautics and Space Administration probe-class mission concept. Enabled by its 14-m primary reflector, SALTUS offers enormous gains in spatial resolution and spectral sensitivity over previous far-IR missions. SALTUS would be a versatile observatory capable of responding to the scientific needs of the extragalactic community in the 2030s and a natural follow-on to the near- and mid-IR capabilities of JWST. The key early-universe science goals for SALTUS focus on understanding the role of galactic feedback processes in regulating galaxy growth across cosmic time and charting the rise of metals and dust from the early universe to the present. We summarize these science cases and the performance metrics most relevant for high-redshift observations.