This paper describes a coronagraphic nulling interferometer called
KEOPS (Kiloparsec Explorer for Optical Planet Search) to be placed
on the Dome C plateau of Antarctica. KEOPS is an interferometric
array of 39 1 m–2 m telescopes spread over kilometric baselines and
operated in the thermal IR region. It could search and characterize
all potential exoEarths within the 1 kpc diameter region observable
from Dome C. We argue that even in the very difficult operation
conditions of Antarctica, such a facility can compete at a much
lower cost with the non-zero risk space missions, both for for ExPNs
search and their spectroscopic characterization plus sub-mas
snap-shot imaging of galactic and extra-galactic compact sources.