NASA's NEO Surveyor Sunshade Gets Solar Cells: Asteroid-Hunting Telescope Progresses

NASA's Near-Earth Object (NEO) Surveyor mission reached a key milestone as technicians at BAE Systems Space & Mission Systems in Boulder, Colorado inspected its large sunshade in late July. The sunshade structure, built by Applied Aerospace in Stockton, California, was outfitted with solar cells by SolAero Technologies in Albuquerque, New Mexico back in January. This integration is crucial for the spacecraft's power supply during its mission to detect potentially hazardous asteroids and comets. The sunshade will also help keep the telescope cool, enabling infrared observations of near-Earth objects that are difficult to spot with visible-light telescopes. NEO Surveyor is designed to find at least two-thirds of near-Earth objects larger than 140 meters, a goal set by Congress. By identifying these threats early, the mission supports planetary defense efforts and could provide advance warning for mitigation strategies. With this hardware check complete, the spacecraft moves closer to its planned launch in 2028, marking significant progress in protecting Earth from cosmic impacts.