The NEO Surveyor telescope, developed for NASA’s planetary defense program, has begun extensive testing and calibration. This mission, scheduled to launch in 2027, will play a critical role in detecting asteroids that could pose a threat to Earth.
NASA to Destroy Asteroids in the Air
Current observation instruments struggle to detect small asteroids, particularly those approaching from the Sun. This leads to alarming consequences, such as some high-threat asteroids being detected only after they pass Earth.
NEO Surveyor overcomes this challenge. With its 50-centimeter aperture and infrared sensors, it can detect dark asteroids that reflect heat from the Sun and are invisible to optical telescopes.
The telescope aims to catalog 90 percent of near-Earth objects larger than 140 meters. An impact from an asteroid of this size could cause widespread destruction on a regional scale.
The Space Dynamics Laboratory has upgraded its facilities for the mission. The 2.4 x 4.27 meter NEO Surveyor instrument will be fully assembled and calibrated here, then integrated into the spacecraft. It has also been reported that the instrument has undergone various tests at these facilities in recent months.
NASA signed a $100 million agreement with SpaceX for the launch of this mission in February 2025. The telescope will be launched from Florida aboard a Falcon 9 rocket no earlier than September 2027.
NEO Surveyor will be positioned at the L1 Lagrange Point between the Earth and the Sun. This strategic location will allow it to continuously monitor celestial bodies approaching from the Sun and not visible from Earth.
