Produced by: Manoj Kumar
NASA’s NEO Surveyor is undergoing rigorous tests at the Johnson Space Center to ensure its infrared telescope and enclosure can withstand the extreme conditions of space.
Credit : NASA
The mission’s 12-foot-long enclosure, built at JPL, is designed to protect the telescope and dissipate heat, ensuring smooth operation in the vacuum of space.
Credit : NASA
Using advanced infrared technology, the NEO Surveyor will detect asteroids and comets that are hard to spot with visible light but emit strong heat signatures.
Credit : NASA
Led by Dr. Amy Mainzer, this mission is NASA’s first space-based effort dedicated to identifying potential asteroid and comet threats to Earth.
Credit : NASA
Testing is conducted in Chamber A, a thermal-vacuum facility that also tested the Apollo spacecraft and James Webb Space Telescope, ensuring the mission’s reliability.
Credit : NASA
After testing, the enclosure will be joined with the telescope’s optical bench at the Space Dynamics Laboratory in Utah, advancing the mission closer to its 2027 launch.
Credit : NASA
JPL’s facilities faced mandatory evacuations due to the Eaton Fire, but critical staff secured components for the NEO Surveyor mission, preventing any setbacks.
Credit : NASA
The mission involves leading teams from NASA, BAE Systems, Teledyne, and IPAC-Caltech, ensuring cutting-edge technology and expertise for planetary defense.
Set for a late 2027 launch, NEO Surveyor will revolutionize how we detect and track near-Earth objects, a crucial step in safeguarding the planet from potential impacts.