NASA’s NEOWISE Mission: Legacy and Future of Planetary Defense

NASA’s NEOWISE mission, which started as WISE in 2011, has been instrumental in planetary defense by detecting over 3,000 near-Earth objects (NEOs). The mission has now concluded, paving the way for the NEO Surveyor set to launch in 2027, which aims to discover more hazardous NEOs.

Perth, Aug 13 (The Conversation) NASA's NEOWISE mission, initially launched as WISE in 2011, was recently decommissioned after operating for over a decade in Earth's orbit. The mission identified more than 3,000 near-Earth objects (NEOs)—asteroids and comets that could potentially pose a collision risk to our planet.

A cornerstone of the emerging concept of planetary defense, NEOWISE has significantly contributed to identifying NEOs. Out of the 3,000 objects studied, over 200 were previously unknown, laying critical groundwork for future planetary defense strategies.

As NEOWISE re-enters Earth's atmosphere, attention shifts to NASA's next venture, the NEO Surveyor, scheduled for a 2027 launch. This mission aims to discover approximately two-thirds of all NEOs larger than 140 meters in diameter, significantly mitigating the risk of future asteroid impacts.