Major component of NASA's NEO Surveyor enters deep space testing

Major component of NASA's NEO Surveyor enters deep space testing
by Clarence Oxford
Los Angeles CA (SPX) Jan 23, 2025

A critical component of NASA's Near-Earth Object (NEO) Surveyor mission has begun a rigorous testing phase at the Johnson Space Center in Houston. Known as the instrument enclosure, the structure spans 12 feet (3.7 meters) in length and is designed to safeguard the spacecraft's infrared telescope while efficiently dissipating heat during its operations in space.

Built by NASA's Jet Propulsion Laboratory (JPL) in Southern California, the enclosure was transported to NASA Johnson in November 2024. The NEO Surveyor mission, aiming for a late 2027 launch, is NASA's inaugural space-based initiative specifically designed to enhance planetary defense. The mission's goal is to detect, measure, and analyze near-Earth asteroids and comets that are difficult to observe but could pose a risk to Earth. These objects, while reflecting minimal visible light, emit significant infrared radiation due to solar heating.

Before its deployment, the mission's hardware must undergo extensive tests to confirm its ability to withstand the harsh conditions of space. At NASA Johnson, teams led by NEO Surveyor contractor BAE Systems are subjecting the enclosure to the extreme cold and vacuum it will encounter in deep space. These tests take place in the historic Chamber A, part of the Space Environment Simulation Laboratory. This facility has previously supported critical missions, including the testing of Apollo spacecraft and the James Webb Space Telescope's optical components in 2017.

Once testing at NASA Johnson concludes, the enclosure will be transported to the Space Dynamics Laboratory (SDL) in Logan, Utah. There, it will be integrated with the telescope's optical bench, a robust aluminum structure also developed by JPL and currently undergoing its own evaluation.

Meanwhile, operations at JPL have been impacted by the Eaton Fire, prompting the implementation of mandatory evacuation measures. Since Jan. 8, most JPL employees have been working remotely, with the situation expected to continue until Jan. 27. Critical staff remained onsite to ensure the security of facilities, laboratories, and mission-critical hardware, including components for the NEO Surveyor. Updates on JPL's status are being provided at emergency.jpl.nasa.gov.