Nasa’s new telescope to help defend Earth from ‘city-killer’ asteroids

• 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.

IN FULL

NASA testing next-gen space telescope that could help astronomers detect city-killing asteroids