NASA’s NEOWISE planetary defense telescope has completed its mission after 10 years of monitoring potential threats to Earth.

Originally launched in 2009 as WISE, the telescope surveyed the sky in infrared before transitioning in 2013 to focus on asteroids and comets.

NEOWISE made over 1.45 million measurements of more than 44,000 objects, discovering 215 new near-Earth objects.

Its mission ended after increased solar activity pushed it out of orbit, causing it to burn up in Earth’s atmosphere in November 2024, IFL Science has reported.

NEOWISE’s success has laid the groundwork for future planetary defense efforts, including the upcoming NEO Surveyor mission.

Written by B.C. Begley