Browsing: NASA NEO Surveyor

NASA’s Near-Earth Object Surveyor (NEO Surveyor) is a space-based infrared telescope mission designed to detect and characterize potentially hazardous asteroids and comets that could pose a threat to Earth. Scheduled for launch in 2027, NEO Surveyor will use advanced infrared sensors to detect objects that are difficult to observe with ground-based telescopes, particularly those that are dark or approaching from the direction of the Sun. The mission aims to support planetary defense efforts by identifying near-Earth objects (NEOs) with diameters of 140 meters or larger, which could cause significant regional damage if they were to impact Earth. NEO Surveyor will enhance our ability to track and catalog these objects, contributing to NASA’s goal of planetary protection and advancing our understanding of the solar system’s small bodies.