NASA’s Near-Earth Object Wide-Field Infrared Survey Explorer (NEOWISE) telescope is preparing to bid farewell after a decade of remarkable service, during which it played a pivotal role in uncovering more than 200 near-Earth objects. While not as universally celebrated as telescopes like the James Webb or Hubble Space Telescope, NEOWISE has made significant contributions to our understanding of the cosmos.
Originally launched in 2009, NEOWISE’s asteroid-hunting mission gained momentum when NASA reactivated the telescope in 2013. Over the years, it documented a total of 200 new near-Earth objects and observed more than 3,000 celestial bodies, leaving an indelible mark on astronomical research.
In a December post, NASA officially announced the impending end of NEOWISE’s mission. Unfortunately, the telescope is not heading for a serene retirement in a museum; instead, the unpredictable outbursts from the Sun are causing it to deviate from its orbit, gradually bringing it closer to Earth’s atmosphere. Ultimately, NEOWISE is expected to burn up during reentry.
NEOWISE’s significance extends beyond mere observation, as it played a crucial role in shaping strategies for defending against asteroids. It also provided valuable assistance to other NASA missions, including contributing insights to a mission targeting a distant asteroid.
As the Sun’s energy outbursts become more erratic, pushing towards the solar maximum in 2025, NEOWISE faces an inevitable descent. NASA anticipates that by 2025, the telescope will have dropped low enough to render it unusable.
Joseph Masiero, NEOWISE’s deputy principal investigator, acknowledges that the mission has been planning for this eventuality for a considerable time. However, bidding farewell to a telescope that has been an instrumental part of astronomical exploration for a decade is undoubtedly a poignant moment for those who have dedicated years to its mission.
