Fifteen geezerhood after a launch that was intended to start just a seven month mission , NASA ’s NEOWISE spacecraft has finally shut down . The Near - Earth Object Wide - line of business Infrared Survey Explorer space vehicle surveyed the sky spotting K of asteroids within our solar system , and made discoveries such as astriking cometthat as advert after it . The spacecraft has made geezerhood of scientific observations , but with itsorbit lento overleap , it has now been decommission and will burn up harmlessly in the standard pressure later on this class .
NEOWISE was a remarkable missionary post for several reasons , one of which was that it was never think to be an asteroid observation missionary work at all . It was to begin with launched as WISE , the wide-eyed - field Infrared Survey Explorer , and looked at remote objects like galaxies in the infrared . Its original missionary station was successful and so was extend , but within a couple of years the spacecraft had used up the coolant required for some of its detectors and it was put into hibernation .
Years later , in 2013 , NASA wanted a mission to seem for asteroid and comet that issue forth close to Earth , call near - Earth objects . Scientists realized that WISE could be reactivated for this business , using its remaining detectors . The missionary post was reactivate as NEOWISE , and since then has take up images of the sky , include 1.45 million measurements of more than 44,000 solar organization objects . That including observe over 3,000 dear - Earth objects , 215 of which had never been detect before .
“ The NEOWISE commission has been instrumental in our pursuance to map the skies and see the good - Earth environment . Its huge act of discoveries have expanded our knowledge of asteroid and comets , while also boosting our nation ’s planetary Defense Department , ” said Laurie Leshin , director of NASA ’s Jet Propulsion Laboratory , in astatement . “ As we bid parting to NEOWISE , we also celebrate the team behind it for their impressive accomplishment . ”
The final simulacrum take by NEOWISE shew the night sky as go steady in the focus of the Fornax constellation . It was figure of speech like these that allow scientists to distinguish previously unseen object , which could then be flagged for follow - up observations from telescopes on the earth to see how these objects were prompt and to mold out their orbits — and whether they could pose any threat to Earth .
That role will soon be take up by a intention - build spacecraft squall NEO Surveyor , which will use infrared to look for colored - colored asteroids that might otherwise be miss and to moderate whether any of these could fare close to the planet . NEO Surveyor is congeal to launch in 2027 .
“ The NEOWISE missionary work has been an extraordinary success story as it helped us better infer our space in the universe of discourse by get across asteroid and comet that could be hazardous for us on Earth , ” said Nicola Fox , associate administrator of NASA ’s Science Mission Directorate . “ While we are distressing to see this brave mission come in to an end , we are excited for the future scientific discoveries it has unfold by setting the foundation for the next - generation planetary defense telescope . ”
