Wide-field Infrared Survey Explorer

Wide-field Infrared Survey Explorer
WISE spacecraft
NamesExplorer 92
SMEX-6
NEOWISE
Near-Earth Object WISE
Mission typeInfrared telescope
OperatorNASA / JPL
COSPAR ID2009-071A
SATCAT no.36119
Websitewww.nasa.gov/wise
Mission duration10 months (planned)
14 years, 10 months and 19 days (achieved)
Spacecraft properties
SpacecraftExplorer XCII
Spacecraft typeWide-field Infrared Survey Explorer
BusRS-300
ManufacturerBall Aerospace & Technologies
Launch mass661 kg (1,457 lb) [1]
Payload mass347 kg (765 lb)
Dimensions2.85 × 2 × 1.73 m (9 ft 4 in × 6 ft 7 in × 5 ft 8 in)
Power551 watts
Start of mission
Launch date14 December 2009,
14:09:33 UTC
RocketDelta II 7320-10C (Delta 347)
Launch siteVandenberg, SLC-2W
ContractorUnited Launch Alliance
Entered service2010
End of mission
Deactivated8 August 2024
Last contact31 July 2024
Decay date2 November 2024,
00:49 UTC
Orbital parameters
Reference systemGeocentric orbit
RegimeSun-synchronous orbit
Perigee altitude488.3 km (303.4 mi)
Apogee altitude494.8 km (307.5 mi)
Inclination97.50°
Period94.45 minutes
Main telescope
Diameter40 cm (16 in) [1]
Wavelengths3.4, 4.6, 12 and 22 μm
Instruments
Four infrared detectors
Explorer Program

Wide-field Infrared Survey Explorer (WISE, observatory code C51, Explorer 92 and MIDEX-6) was a NASA infrared astronomy space telescope in the Explorers Program launched in December 2009.[2][3][4] WISE discovered thousands of minor planets and numerous star clusters. Its observations also supported the discovery of the first Y-type brown dwarf and Earth trojan asteroid.[5][6][7][8][9][10] WISE performed an all-sky astronomical survey with images in 3.4, 4.6, 12 and 22 μm wavelength range bands, over ten months using a 40 cm (16 in) diameter infrared telescope in Earth orbit.[11]

After its solid hydrogen coolant depleted, it was placed in hibernation mode in February 2011.[5] In 2013, NASA reactivated the WISE telescope to search for near-Earth objects (NEO), such as comets and asteroids, that could collide with Earth.[12][13]

The reactivation mission was called Near-Earth Object Wide-field Infrared Survey Explorer (NEOWISE).[13] As of August 2023, NEOWISE was 40% through the 20th coverage of the full sky.

Science operations and data processing for WISE and NEOWISE take place at the Infrared Processing and Analysis Center at the California Institute of Technology in Pasadena, California. The WISE All-Sky (WISEA) data, including processed images, source catalogs and raw data, was released to the public on 14 March 2012, and is available at the Infrared Science Archive.[14][15][16]

The NEOWISE mission was originally expected to end in early 2025 with the satellite reentering the atmosphere some time after.[17] However, the NEOWISE mission concluded its science survey on 31 July 2024 with the satellite expected to reenter Earth's atmosphere later the same year (2 November 2024). This decision was made due to increased solar activity hastening the decay of its orbit and the lack of an onboard propulsion system for orbital maintenance. The onboard transmitter was turned off on 8 August, marking the formal decommissioning of the spacecraft.[18]

  1. ^ a b "Wide-field Infrared Survey Explorer Launch" (PDF). NASA. December 2009. Retrieved 15 March 2021. This article incorporates text from this source, which is in the public domain..
  2. ^ Ray, Justin (14 December 2008). "Mission Status Center: Delta/WISE". SpaceFlight Now. Retrieved 26 December 2009..
  3. ^ Rebecca Whatmore; Brian Dunbar (14 December 2009). "WISE". NASA. Archived from the original on 9 November 2009. Retrieved 26 December 2009. This article incorporates text from this source, which is in the public domain..
  4. ^ Clavin, Whitney (14 December 2009). "NASA's WISE Eye on the Universe Begins All-Sky Survey Mission". NASA (JPL). Archived from the original on 18 December 2009. Retrieved 26 December 2009. This article incorporates text from this source, which is in the public domain..
  5. ^ a b "Wide-field Infrared Survey Explorer". Astro.ucla.edu. Retrieved 24 August 2013.
  6. ^ "JPL – NASA's WISE Finds Earth's First Trojan Asteroid (27 July 2011)". NASA (JPL). 27 July 2011. Archived from the original on 7 June 2012. Retrieved 24 August 2013. This article incorporates text from this source, which is in the public domain..
  7. ^ "Berkeley – NASA's WISE finds Earth's first Trojan asteroid (27 July 2011)". wise.ssl.berkeley.edu. Retrieved 24 August 2013..
  8. ^ "WISE Public Web Site – UCLA". astro.ucla.edu. Retrieved 24 August 2013..
  9. ^ Morse, Jon. "Discovered: Stars as Cool as the Human Body". NASA. Archived from the original on 7 October 2011. Retrieved 24 August 2011. This article incorporates text from this source, which is in the public domain..
  10. ^ Cite error: The named reference majaess2013 was invoked but never defined (see the help page).
  11. ^ "Wide-field Infrared Survey Explorer (WISE)". Astro.ucla.edu. Retrieved 24 August 2013..
  12. ^ Cite error: The named reference werner was invoked but never defined (see the help page).
  13. ^ a b "NASA space telescope rebooted as asteroid hunter". CBC News. Reuters. 22 August 2013. Retrieved 22 August 2013.
  14. ^ "WISE All-Sky Data Release". wise2.ipac.caltech.edu. Retrieved 24 August 2013..
  15. ^ "NASA Releases New WISE Mission Catalog of Entire Infrared Sky". NASA. Archived from the original on 16 March 2012. Retrieved 24 August 2013. This article incorporates text from this source, which is in the public domain..
  16. ^ Clavin, Whitney (18 July 2011). "Can WISE Find the Hypothetical "Tyche"?". NASA. Archived from the original on 21 February 2011. Retrieved 19 July 2011. This article incorporates text from this source, which is in the public domain..
  17. ^ "NASA's NEOWISE Celebrates 10 Years, Plans End of Mission". NASA Jet Propulsion Laboratory (JPL). 13 December 2023. Retrieved 24 January 2024..
  18. ^ Doyle, Tiernan P. (8 August 2024). "NASA Mission Concludes After Years of Successful Asteroid Detections". NASA. Retrieved 8 August 2024.
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