NASA Decommissions NEOWISE After 15 Years of Asteroid Detection

The infrared space telescope NEOWISE, pivotal in planetary defense, has been shut down due to orbital decay.

NEOWISE launched in 2009 as WISE, initially scanning the entire infrared sky.
The mission was extended and renamed NEOWISE in 2013 to focus on near-Earth objects.
NEOWISE discovered over 3,000 near-Earth objects and 25 comets, including Comet NEOWISE.
Increased solar activity accelerated the spacecraft's orbital decay, leading to its decommissioning.
The mission's legacy will continue with the upcoming NEO Surveyor, set to launch in 2027.