Wide-field Infrared Survey Explorer

Overview

WISE was designed to survey the entire sky in infrared wavelengths. After completing its primary mission, it was repurposed as NEOWISE to hunt for near-Earth objects like asteroids and comets, contributing significantly to our understanding of the solar system.

Primary Objectives

• Map the entire sky in infrared light
• Search for the nearest and coolest stars
• Study the origins of planets, stars, and galaxies
• Detect and track near-Earth objects (as NEOWISE)

Notable Discoveries

• Discovered the first Earth Trojan asteroid
• Found thousands of brown dwarfs including the Y-dwarf class
• Discovered millions of supermassive black holes
• Detected over 34,000 new asteroids in the main asteroid belt

Technical Specifications