The telescopes orbit is expected to gradually lower over time.
This is due to the heating of Earths atmosphere by the Sun, which causes the atmosphere to expand.
As a result, satellites in orbitincluding NEOWISEexperience increased atmospheric drag, leading to a decrease in their altitude.
An artist’s depiction of the NEOWISE satellite against the infrared sky.Illustration: ASA/JPL-Caltech
As a result, the telescope will not be able to maintain its orbit around our planet.
NEOWISE had so far avoided the Suns wrath over the past 10 years of its reactivated mission.
At the time, it was just known as WISE (Wide-field Infrared Survey Explorer).
Afterwards, WISE was placed in hibernation in February 2011.
After nearly three years of floating around with no purpose, the telescope was given a second life.
NASA repurposed the mission in December 2013 to survey near-Earth objects, helping guard our planet against potential threats.
This is a bittersweet moment.
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