NASA’s NEO Surveyor, a next-generation infrared space telescope, is making significant progress as it moves closer to its planned launch in late 2027.
Designed to detect asteroids and comets that could potentially threaten Earth, NEO Surveyor will be the agency’s first space telescope dedicated to planetary defense.
The spacecraft will be stationed at the L1 Lagrange point, about a million miles from Earth, where it will have an unobstructed view of near-Earth objects approaching from the direction of the Sun, a challenging area for traditional observatories to monitor.
Enhancing Planetary Defense with Advanced Technology
The NEO Surveyor spacecraft will utilize advanced infrared detectors capable of observing near-Earth objects regardless of their reflectivity. These detectors, made of mercury-cadmium-telluride, can detect the infrared radiation emitted by asteroids and comets as they are warmed by the Sun. This capability will allow the telescope to identify and measure both small reflective and large dark objects, which visible-light telescopes often struggle to detect.
Amy Mainzer, the survey director for NEO Surveyor and a professor at the University of California, Los Angeles, highlighted the mission's importance: "NEO Surveyor is optimized to help us do one specific thing: enable humanity to find the most hazardous asteroids and comets far enough in advance so we can do something about them." This mission will not only help identify potential threats but also provide new insights into the origins and evolution of these near-Earth objects.
Progress in Spacecraft Assembly
The assembly of NEO Surveyor's primary instrument, its telescope, is well underway. The telescope, which is roughly the size of a washer-and-dryer set, is being constructed in a clean room at NASA’s Jet Propulsion Laboratory (JPL). The telescope features a three-mirror anastigmat design that will focus infrared light with minimal optical aberrations, enhancing its ability to detect near-Earth objects.
Brian Monacelli, principal optical engineer at JPL, described the precision involved in building the telescope’s mirrors: "We have been carefully managing the fabrication of the spacecraft's telescope mirrors, all of which were received in the JPL clean room by July." These mirrors, shaped and polished from solid aluminum using a diamond-turning machine, exceed the mission's performance requirements. After thorough inspection, the mirrors were attached to the telescope's optical bench in August, marking a significant step forward in the spacecraft's assembly.
The next phase of assembly involves installing the telescope within the spacecraft's instrument enclosure, which is designed to keep the telescope cool and prevent internal heat from interfering with observations. This enclosure, made of a dark composite material, is currently under construction and will undergo rigorous testing before being mounted on the spacecraft.
Tom Hoffman, NEO Surveyor's project manager at JPL, expressed enthusiasm about the progress being made: "The entire team has been working hard for a long time to get to this point, and we are excited to see the hardware coming together with contributions from our institutional and industrial collaborators from across the country."
Looking Ahead to NEO Surveyor’s Mission
As NEO Surveyor advances toward its launch date, the spacecraft is expected to revolutionize our approach to planetary defense by providing a more comprehensive view of the near-Earth environment. Its ability to detect and track hazardous asteroids and comets will enhance our ability to respond to potential threats, potentially preventing future impacts on Earth.
In addition to its primary mission of planetary defense, NEO Surveyor may also provide valuable data on Earth Trojans—asteroids that share our planet's orbit but are difficult to observe from Earth. This information could offer new insights into the population and behavior of these objects, further expanding our understanding of the solar system.
As assembly progresses and the launch date approaches, NEO Surveyor represents a significant step forward in humanity's efforts to protect Earth from potential asteroid impacts, marking a new era in space exploration and planetary defense.