NASA asteroid hunter Neowise satellite may re enter earth in early 2025

NASA Neowise satellite: The US space agency NASA launched the Neowise (Wide-field Infrared Survey Explorer) telescope satellite in 2009. Since its launch, it has detected thousands of asteroids that came close to Earth. After serving for more than 14 years, this telescope is now nearing its end and will be destroyed after crashing into Earth’s atmosphere. While searching for asteroids, the telescope went very low in Earth’s orbit, after which NASA engineers had to decide to end it.

Recently, NASA officials held a meeting at the Jet Propulsion Laboratory (Nasa JPL). During this, the telescope was given the command to turn off its transmitter. Scientists are storing all its data so that all its work can be preserved.

The special thing is that this mission was planned for only 10 months, but after reaching space, Neowise continued to detect asteroids and served NASA for more than 14 years. At the time of launch in 2009, its name was WISE i.e. Wide-field Infrared Survey Explorer. Then its purpose was to scan the infrared in the sky.

Recently it took its last picture of space and went into hibernation mode. Now it is heading towards Earth. By the end of this year or early 2025, it will enter the Earth’s atmosphere and burn up. NASA has not yet announced the date of its re-entry to Earth.

Who will replace Neowise?

NASA has chosen NEO Surveyor (Near Earth Object Surveyor Telescope) as an option for NEOWISE. This telescope is set to be sent into space by the year 2027. This telescope will also detect those objects coming close to the Earth, which can pose a threat to our planet.