- NASA is testing its next-generation Near-Earth Object Surveyor (NEO Surveyor) infrared space telescope, specifically designed to detect potentially hazardous asteroids and comets.
- Scheduled for launch no sooner than September 2027, the telescope will operate for at least five years, positioned a million miles from Earth.
- The mission aims to find 90 per cent of near-Earth objects (NEOs) with a diameter of 460 feet within a decade, as astronomers have currently identified fewer than half of the estimated existing 'city-killer' asteroids.
- Utilising infrared technology, similar to the James Webb Space Telescope, NEO Surveyor will detect heat emitted by sun-warmed asteroids, making even dark objects visible.
- While there are no immediate threats, NASA's Office of the Inspector General has highlighted areas for improvement in the Near-Earth Object Observations Programme, and funding for the NEO Surveyor has been decreased.
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