NASA’s asteroid-hunting mission NEOWISE has officially ended after nearly 15 years in orbit. Engineers sent a final command to shut down the spacecraft on August 8.

Originally launched in 2009 as WISE (Wide-field Infrared Survey Explorer) to scan the infrared sky, the mission was later extended and renamed NEOWISE to focus on tracking near-Earth objects.

Over its extended mission, NEOWISE discovered over 3,000 near-Earth objects and 25 comets, including the notable Comet NEOWISE in 2020, Space.com has reported.

The mission’s data has paved the way for future planetary defense efforts, including the upcoming NEO Surveyor spacecraft, set to launch in 2027.

Written by B.C. Begley