View source for Astronomy:Wide-field Infrared Survey Explorer

{{Short description|NASA satellite of the Explorer program}}
{{Infobox spaceflight
| name              = Wide-field Infrared Survey Explorer
| names_list        = Explorer 92<br/>SMEX-6<br/>NEOWISE<br/>Near-Earth Object WISE
| image             = WISE artist concept (PIA17254, crop).jpg
| image_caption     = WISE spacecraft
| image_size        = 300px

| mission_type      = [[Astronomy:Infrared telescope|Infrared telescope]]
| operator          = [[Organization:NASA|NASA]]{{\}}[[Organization:Jet Propulsion Laboratory|JPL]]
| COSPAR_ID         = 2009-071A
| SATCAT            = 36119
| website           = {{url|https://www.nasa.gov/wise}}
| mission_duration  = 10 months (planned)<br/>{{time interval|14 December 2009|show=ymd}} ''(in progress)''

| spacecraft        = Explorer XCII
| spacecraft_type   = Wide-field Infrared Survey Explorer
| spacecraft_bus    = [[Astronomy:Comparison of satellite buses|RS-300]]
| manufacturer      = Ball Aerospace & Technologies
| launch_mass       = {{cvt|661|kg}} <ref name="wisepr-launch">{{cite web|url=http://www.jpl.nasa.gov/news/press_kits/wise-launch.pdf|title=Wide-field Infrared Survey Explorer Launch|publisher=NASA |date=December 2009|access-date=15 March 2021}} {{PD-notice}}</ref>
| payload_mass      = {{cvt|347|kg}}
| dimensions        = {{cvt|2.85|xx|2|xx|1.73|m}}
| power             = 551 [[Watt|watt]]s

| launch_date       = 14 December 2009, 14:09:33 [[Physics:Coordinated Universal Time|UTC]]
| launch_rocket     = [[Engineering:Delta II|Delta II 7320-10C]] (Delta 347)
| launch_site       = {{wipe|Vandenberg Air Force Base}}, SLC-2W
| launch_contractor = [[Company:United Launch Alliance|United Launch Alliance]]

| entered_service   = 2010
| deactivated       = 
| last_contact      = 
| decay_date        = 2025 (planned)

| orbit_reference   = [[Astronomy:Geocentric orbit|Geocentric orbit]]
| orbit_regime      = [[Astronomy:Sun-synchronous orbit|Sun-synchronous orbit]]
| orbit_periapsis   = {{cvt|488.3|km}}
| orbit_apoapsis    = {{cvt|494.8|km}}
| orbit_inclination = 97.50°
| orbit_period      = 94.45 minutes
| apsis             = gee

| telescope_type       = 
| telescope_diameter   = {{cvt|40|cm}} <ref name="wisepr-launch"/>
| telescope_wavelength = 3.4, 4.6, 12 and 22 [[Micrometre|µm]]

| instruments       = Four infrared detectors

| insignia          = 
| insignia_caption  = 
| insignia_size     = 200px

| programme         = '''Explorer Program'''
| previous_mission  = [[Astronomy:Interstellar Boundary Explorer|IBEX]] (Explorer 91)
| next_mission      = [[Astronomy:NuSTAR|NuSTAR]] (Explorer 93)
}}

'''Wide-field Infrared Survey Explorer''' ('''WISE''', observatory code C51, '''Explorer 92''' and '''SMEX-6''') is a [[Organization:NASA|NASA]] [[Astronomy:Infrared astronomy|infrared astronomy]] space telescope in the [[Astronomy:Explorers Program|Explorers Program]] launched in December 2009.<ref name="WISE-MSC">{{cite news|title=Mission Status Center: Delta/WISE|url=http://www.spaceflightnow.com/delta/d347/status.html |first=Justin|last=Ray|publisher=Spaceflight Now|date=December 14, 2008|access-date=December 26, 2009}}</ref><ref>{{cite web|author=Rebecca Whatmore|author2=Brian Dunbar|title=WISE|publisher=NASA|url=http://www.nasa.gov/mission_pages/WISE/main/index.html|date=December 14, 2009|access-date=December 26, 2009|archive-date=9 November 2009|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20091109045853/http://www.nasa.gov/mission_pages/WISE/main/index.html|url-status=dead}} {{PD-notice}}</ref><ref name=launch>{{cite web|first=Whitney|last=Clavin|title=NASA's WISE Eye on the Universe Begins All-Sky Survey Mission|publisher=NASA (JPL)|url=http://www.nasa.gov/mission_pages/WISE/news/wise20091214.html|date=December 14, 2009|access-date=December 26, 2009|archive-date=18 December 2009|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20091218051231/http://www.nasa.gov/mission_pages/WISE/news/wise20091214.html|url-status=dead}} {{PD-notice}}</ref> WISE discovered thousands of [[Astronomy:Minor planet|minor planet]]s and numerous [[Astronomy:Star cluster|star cluster]]s. Its observations also supported the discovery of the first [[Astronomy:Brown dwarf#Spectral class Y|Y-type brown dwarf]] and [[Astronomy:Earth trojan|Earth trojan asteroid]].<ref name=wright/><ref name="jpl.nasa.gov">{{cite web|url=http://www.jpl.nasa.gov/news/news.cfm?release=2011-230|title=JPL – NASA's WISE Finds Earth's First Trojan Asteroid (27 July 2011)|publisher=NASA (JPL)|date=27 July 2011|access-date=24 August 2013|archive-date=7 June 2012|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20120607002037/http://www.jpl.nasa.gov/news/news.cfm?release=2011-230|url-status=dead}} {{PD-notice}}</ref><ref name="wise.ssl.berkeley.edu">{{cite web |url=http://wise.ssl.berkeley.edu/science.html|title=Berkeley – NASA's WISE finds Earth's first Trojan asteroid (27 July 2011)|website=wise.ssl.berkeley.edu|access-date=August 24, 2013}}</ref><ref name=ucla>{{cite web|url=http://www.astro.ucla.edu/~wright/WISE/|title=WISE Public Web Site – UCLA|website=astro.ucla.edu|access-date=August 24, 2013}}</ref><ref name=morse>{{cite news|last=Morse|first=Jon|title=Discovered: Stars as Cool as the Human Body|url=https://science.nasa.gov/science-news/science-at-nasa/2011/23aug_coldeststars/|publisher=NASA|access-date=August 24, 2011|archive-date=7 October 2011|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20111007124027/http://science.nasa.gov/science-news/science-at-nasa/2011/23aug_coldeststars/|url-status=dead}} {{PD-notice}}</ref><ref name="majaess2013"/>
WISE performed an all-sky [[Astronomy:Astronomical survey|astronomical survey]] with images in 3.4, 4.6, 12 and 22 μm wavelength range bands, over ten months using a {{cvt|40|cm}} diameter [[Astronomy:Infrared telescope|infrared telescope]] in [[Astronomy:Geocentric orbit|Earth orbit]].<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.astro.ucla.edu/~wright/WISE/|title=Wide-field Infrared Survey Explorer (WISE)|publisher=Astro.ucla.edu|access-date=August 24, 2013}}</ref> 

After its [[Physics:Solid hydrogen|solid hydrogen]] coolant depleted, it was placed in [[Engineering:Hibernation (spaceflight)|hibernation mode]] in February 2011.<ref name=wright>{{cite web|url=http://www.astro.ucla.edu/~wright/WISE/|title=Wide-field Infrared Survey Explorer |publisher=Astro.ucla.edu|access-date=24 August 2013}}</ref>
In 2013, NASA reactivated the WISE telescope to search for [[Astronomy:Near-Earth object|near-Earth object]]s (NEO), such as [[Astronomy:Comet|comet]]s and [[Astronomy:Asteroid|asteroid]]s, that could collide with Earth.<ref name=werner/><ref name="cbc20130822">{{cite news |url=http://www.cbc.ca/news/technology/story/2013/08/22/technology-wise-space-telescope-asteroids.html|title=NASA space telescope rebooted as asteroid hunter|publisher=CBC News|agency=Reuters|date=22 August 2013|access-date=22 August 2013}}</ref> 
The reactivation mission was called '''Near-Earth Object Wide-field Infrared Survey Explorer''' ('''NEOWISE''').<ref name="cbc20130822"/> 
As of August 2023, NEOWISE is 40% through the 20th coverage of the full sky.

Science operations and data processing for WISE and NEOWISE take place at the Infrared Processing and Analysis Center at the [[Organization:California Institute of Technology|California Institute of Technology]] in Pasadena, California.
The WISE All-Sky (WISEA) data, including processed images, source catalogs and raw data, was released to the public on 14 March 2012, and is available at the [[Astronomy:Infrared Science Archive|Infrared Science Archive]].<ref>{{cite web |url=http://wise2.ipac.caltech.edu/docs/release/allsky/
 |title=WISE All-Sky Data Release
 |website=wise2.ipac.caltech.edu|access-date=24 August 2013}}</ref><ref>{{cite web
 |url=http://www.nasa.gov/mission_pages/WISE/news/wise20120314.html
 |title=NASA Releases New WISE Mission Catalog of Entire Infrared Sky
 |publisher=NASA
 |access-date=24 August 2013
 |archive-date=16 March 2012
 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20120316013457/http://www.nasa.gov/mission_pages/WISE/news/wise20120314.html
 |url-status=dead
 }} {{PD-notice}}</ref><ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.nasa.gov/mission_pages/WISE/news/wise20110218.html|title=Can WISE Find the Hypothetical "Tyche"?|publisher=NASA|first=Whitney|last=Clavin|date=July 18, 2011|access-date=19 July 2011|archive-date=21 February 2011|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20110221033243/http://www.nasa.gov/mission_pages/WISE/news/wise20110218.html|url-status=dead}} {{PD-notice}}</ref>

The NEOWISE mission is expected to end by early-2025 and the satellite to reentry some time after.<ref name=":1">{{Cite web |last= |date=December 13, 2023 |title=NASA’s NEOWISE Celebrates 10 Years, Plans End of Mission |url=https://www.jpl.nasa.gov/news/nasas-neowise-celebrates-10-years-plans-end-of-mission |access-date=2024-01-24 |website=NASA Jet Propulsion Laboratory (JPL) |language=en-US}}</ref>

== Mission goals ==
The mission was planned to create infrared images of 99% of the sky, with at least eight images made of each position on the sky in order to increase accuracy. The spacecraft was placed in a {{cvt|525|km}}, circular, polar, [[Astronomy:Sun-synchronous orbit|Sun-synchronous orbit]] for its ten-month mission, during which it has taken 1.5 million images, one every 11 seconds.<ref name="CNN">{{cite web |url=http://www.cnn.com/2009/TECH/space/12/14/wise.spacecraft.launch/index.html|title=NASA launches infrared telescope to scan entire sky|author=Brandon Griggs|publisher=CNN|date=14 December 2009|access-date=15 March 2021}}</ref> The satellite orbited above the [[Astronomy:Terminator (solar)|terminator]], its telescope pointing always to the opposite direction to the Earth, except for pointing towards the [[Astronomy:Moon|Moon]], which was avoided, and its solar cells towards the [[Astronomy:Sun|Sun]]. Each image covers a 47 [[Minute and second of arc|arcminute]] [[Physics:Field of view|field of view]] (FoV), which means a 6 [[Minute and second of arc|arcsecond]] [[Physics:Optical resolution|resolution]]. Each area of the sky was scanned at least 10 times at the [[Astronomy:Equator|equator]]; the poles were scanned at theoretically every revolution due to the overlapping of the images.<ref name="ssbstats">{{cite web|url=http://tech.groups.yahoo.com/group/mpml/message/22864|archive-url=https://archive.today/20120723160805/http://tech.groups.yahoo.com/group/mpml/message/22864|url-status=dead|archive-date=23 July 2012|title=Posting on Minor Planet Mailing List by Amy Mainzer, principal investigator (WISE NEO Section) |website=tech.groups.yahoo.com|access-date=24 August 2013}}</ref><ref name="ssbstats2">{{cite web|last1=Mainzer|first1=Amy|title=Minor Planet Mailing List|url=https://groups.io/g/mpml/message/22630 |website=groups.io|date=2010-01-18}}</ref> The produced image library contains data on the local [[Astronomy:Solar System|Solar System]], the [[Astronomy:Milky Way|Milky Way]], and the more distant [[Astronomy:Universe|Universe]]. Among the objects WISE studied are asteroids, cool and dim stars such as [[Astronomy:Brown dwarf|brown dwarf]]s, and the most luminous infrared [[Astronomy:Galaxy|galaxies]].

=== Targets within the Solar System ===
WISE was not able to detect [[Astronomy:Kuiper belt|Kuiper belt objects]], because their temperatures are too low.<ref name="planetaryblog"/> [[Astronomy:Pluto|Pluto]] is the only Kuiper belt object that was detected.<ref>{{cite web |url=https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JEsyU4Q3MjU |archive-url=https://ghostarchive.org/varchive/youtube/20211219/JEsyU4Q3MjU |archive-date=2021-12-19 |url-status=live|title=Seven Years of WISE - CfA Colloquium|last=Wright|first=Ned|date=2016-12-08|website=youtube|access-date=2020-03-22|quote=(41:22) So you can see a little shade moving back and forth. So Pluto is definitively there.}}{{cbignore}}</ref> It was able to detect any objects warmer than 70–100 [[Kelvin|K]]. A [[Astronomy:Neptune|Neptune]]-sized object would be detectable out to 700 [[Astronomy:Astronomical unit|Astronomical unit]] (AU), a [[Astronomy:Jupiter mass|Jupiter mass]] object out to 1 [[Light year|light year]] (63,000 AU), where it would still be within the Sun's [[Astronomy:Hill sphere|zone of gravitational control]]. A larger object of 2–3 Jupiter masses would be visible at a distance of up to 7–10 light years.<ref name="planetaryblog">{{cite web|first=Emily|last=Lakdawalla|title=The Planetary Society Blog: "WISE Guys" |url=http://www.planetary.org/blog/article/00002070/|publisher=The Planetary Society|date=August 27, 2009|access-date=December 26, 2009|archive-date=17 June 2010|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20100617054321/http://www.planetary.org/blog/article/00002070/|url-status=dead}}</ref>

At the time of planning, it was estimated that WISE would detect about 300,000 main-belt asteroids, of which approximately 100,000 will be new, and some 700 Near-Earth objects (NEO) including about 300 undiscovered. That translates to about 1000 new main-belt asteroids per day, and 1–3 NEOs per day. The peak of magnitude distribution for NEOs will be about 21–22 [[Astronomy:UBV photometric system|V]]. WISE would detect each typical Solar System object 10–12 times over about 36 hours in intervals of 3 hours.<ref name="ssbstats"/><ref name="ssbstats2"/>{{update inline|date=August 2023}}

=== Targets outside the Solar System ===
[[Astronomy:Star formation|Star formation]], which are covered by [[Astronomy:Cosmic dust|interstellar dust]], are detectable in [[Physics:Infrared|infrared]], since at this wavelength electromagnetic radiation can penetrate the dust. Infrared measurements from the WISE astronomical survey have been particularly effective at unveiling previously undiscovered [[Astronomy:Star cluster|star cluster]]s.<ref name="majaess2013">{{cite journal |url=https://ui.adsabs.harvard.edu/abs/2013Ap%26SS.344..175M/abstract|title=Discovering protostars and their host clusters via WISE|journal=Astrophysics and Space Science|first=Daniel J.|last=Majaess |s2cid=118455708|volume=344|issue=1|pages=175–186|date=March 2013|doi=10.1007/s10509-012-1308-y|arxiv=1211.4032|bibcode=2013Ap&SS.344..175M|access-date=15 March 2021}}</ref> Examples of such embedded star clusters are Camargo 18, Camargo 440, Majaess 101, and Majaess 116.<ref name="camargo2015">{{cite journal|title=New Galactic embedded clusters and candidates from a WISE Survey|journal=New Astronomy|first1=Denilso|last1=Camargo|first2=Eduardo|last2=Bica|first3=Charles|last3=Bonatto|s2cid=119002533|volume=34|pages=84–97|date=January 2015 |doi=10.1016/j.newast.2014.05.007|arxiv=1406.3099|bibcode=2015NewA...34...84C}}</ref><ref name="camargo2013">{{cite journal|title=Towards a census of the Galactic anticentre star clusters - III Tracing the spiral structure in the outer disc|journal=Monthly Notices of the Royal Astronomical Society|first1=Denilso|last1=Camargo|first2=Eduardo|last2=Bica|first3=Charles|last3=Bonatto|s2cid=119197294|volume=432|issue=4|pages=3349–3360|date=July 2013 |doi=10.1093/mnras/stt703|bibcode=2013MNRAS.432.3349C|arxiv=1505.01829}}</ref> In addition, galaxies of the young Universe and interacting galaxies, where star formation is intensive, are bright in infrared. On this wavelength the interstellar gas clouds are also detectable, as well as proto-planetary discs. WISE satellite was expected to find at least 1,000 of those proto-planetary discs.

== Spacecraft ==
The WISE [[Engineering:Satellite bus|satellite bus]] was built by Ball Aerospace & Technologies in Boulder, Colorado. The spacecraft is derived from the Ball Aerospace & Technologies [[Astronomy:Comparison of satellite buses|RS-300]] spacecraft architecture, particularly the [[Engineering:NEXTSat|NEXTSat]] spacecraft built for the successful Orbital Express mission launched on 9 March 2007. The flight system has an estimated mass of {{cvt|560|kg}}. The spacecraft is three-axis stabilized, with body-fixed [[Physics:Solar panels on spacecraft|solar arrays]]. It uses a high-gain antenna in the [[Astronomy:Ku band|Ku-band]] to transmit to the ground through the [[Engineering:Tracking and Data Relay Satellite System|Tracking and Data Relay Satellite System]] (TDRSS) geostationary system. Ball also performed the testing and flight system integration.

<gallery mode=packed heights=200px>
File:WISE 1.png|WISE spacecraft
File:Wide-field Infrared Survey Explorer Instruments.jpg|Scheme of the spacecraft
File:Wide-field Infrared Survey Explorer Optics.jpg|Scheme of the telescope
File:Wide-field Infrared Survey Explorer Scheme.jpg|Scheme of the instruments
</gallery>

== Telescope ==
{{Multiple image
|direction=horizontal
|align=
|image1=WISE 2009-4760.jpg
|image2=WISE 2009-4759.jpg
|width=120
|footer=WISE prior to its mission into orbit}}

Construction of the WISE telescope was divided between Ball Aerospace & Technologies (spacecraft, operations support), SSG Precision Optronics, Inc. (telescope, optics, scan mirror), DRS Technologies and [[Company:Rockwell International|Rockwell International]] (focal planes), [[Company:Lockheed Martin|Lockheed Martin]] ([[Physics:Cryostat|cryostat]], cooling for the telescope), and [[Organization:Space Dynamics Laboratory|Space Dynamics Laboratory]] (instruments, electronics, and testing). The program was managed through the [[Organization:Jet Propulsion Laboratory|Jet Propulsion Laboratory]].<ref name=werner/>

The WISE instrument was built by the [[Organization:Space Dynamics Laboratory|Space Dynamics Laboratory]] in Logan, Utah.

== Mission ==
[[File:Comet Siding Spring.jpg|thumb|upright=1.0|right|Comet {{mpl|C/2007 Q|3}} (Siding Spring) in infrared by WISE]]
[[File:Freezing WISE's Hydrogen.jpg|thumb|upright=1.0|right|A scaffolding structure built around WISE allows engineers access while its hydrogen coolant is being frozen.]]

WISE surveyed the sky in four wavelengths of the infrared band, at a very high sensitivity. Its design specified as goals that the full sky atlas of stacked images it produced have 5-sigma sensitivity limits of 120, 160, 650, and 2600 [[Astronomy:Jansky|microjanskies]] (µJy) at 3.3, 4.7, 12, and 23&nbsp;µm (aka [[Micrometre|micron]]s).<ref name="Mainzer05">{{cite journal|last1=Mainzer|first1=Amanda K.|last2=Eisenhardt|first2=Peter |last3=Wright|first3=Edward L.|last4=Liu|first4=Feng-Chuan|last5=Irace|first5=William|last6=Heinrichsen|first6=Ingolf|last7=Cutri|first7=Roc|last8=Duval|first8=Valerie|s2cid=118977552|title=Preliminary design of the Wide-field Infrared Survey Explorer (WISE)|journal=Uv/Optical/Ir Space Telescopes: Innovative Technologies and Concepts II|editor-last=MacEwen|editor-first=Howard A.|date=August 10, 2005 |series=Proceedings of the SPIE – UV/Optical/IR Space Telescopes: Innovative Technologies and Concepts II|volume=5899|pages=262–273|url=http://wise.ssl.berkeley.edu/documents/WISESPIE_SanDiego05.pdf|access-date=March 5, 2010|bibcode=2005SPIE.5899..262M|arxiv=astro-ph/0508246|doi=10.1117/12.611774|citeseerx=10.1.1.127.8454}}</ref> WISE achieved at least 68, 98, 860, and 5400 µJy; 5 sigma sensitivity at 3.4, 4.6, 12, and 22&nbsp;µm for the WISE All-Sky data release.<ref>{{cite web|author=Roc Cutri|url=http://wise2.ipac.caltech.edu/docs/release/allsky/expsup/sec1_1.html#wise|title=Explanatory Supplement to the WISE All-Sky Data Release Products|publisher=Caltech Infrared Processing and Analysis Center|date=March 14, 2012|access-date=November 17, 2014}}</ref> This is a factor of 1,000 times better sensitivity than the survey completed in 1983 by the IRAS satellite in the 12 and 23&nbsp;µm bands, and a factor of 500,000 times better than the 1990s survey by the [[Astronomy:Cosmic Background Explorer|Cosmic Background Explorer]] (COBE) satellite at 3.3 and 4.7&nbsp;µm.<ref name="Mainzer05"/> On the other hand, IRAS could also observe 60 and 100&nbsp;µm wavelengths.<ref name=lutz>{{cite book|last=Schmadel|first=Lutz D.|page=315|title=Dictionary of minor planet names|publisher=Springer |date=2003|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=KWrB1jPCa8AC&pg=PA315|isbn=978-3-540-29925-7}}</ref>

* Band 1 – 3.4&nbsp;µm (micrometre) – broad-band sensitivity to stars and galaxies
* Band 2 – 4.6&nbsp;µm – detect thermal radiation from the internal heat sources of sub-stellar objects like brown dwarfs
* Band 3 – 12&nbsp;µm – detect thermal radiation from asteroids
* Band 4 – 22&nbsp;µm – sensitivity to dust in [[Astronomy:Star formation|star-forming regions]] (material with temperatures of 70–100 [[Kelvin|kelvin]]s)

The primary mission lasted 10 months: one month for checkout, six months for a full-sky survey, then an additional three months of survey until cryogenic coolant (which kept the instruments at 17 K) ran out. The partial second survey pass facilitated the study of changes (e.g. orbital movement) in observed objects.<ref>{{cite web|author=Rebecca Whatmore|url=http://www.jpl.nasa.gov/wise/overview.cfm|title=NASA's Wide-field Infrared Survey Explorer|publisher=NASA (JPL)|date=December 10, 2009|access-date=December 26, 2009|archive-date=30 December 2009|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20091230150809/http://www.jpl.nasa.gov/wise/overview.cfm|url-status=dead}} {{PD-notice}}</ref>

=== Congressional hearing - November 2007 ===
On 8 November 2007, the House Committee on Science and Technology's Subcommittee on Space and Aeronautics held a hearing to examine the status of NASA's Near-Earth Object (NEO) survey program. The prospect of using WISE was proposed by NASA officials.<ref>{{cite news|author=United States House Committee on Science and Technology|title=Hearing Charter: Near-Earth Objects - Status of the Survey Program and Review of NASA's 2007 Report to Congress|url=http://www.spaceref.com/news/viewsr.html?pid=25960|publisher=SpaceRef|date=7 November 2007|access-date=25 December 2009}}{{Dead link|date=September 2023 |bot=InternetArchiveBot |fix-attempted=yes }}</ref>

NASA officials told Committee staff that NASA plans to use WISE to detect [near-Earth objects in addition to performing its science goals. It was projected that WISE could detect 400 NEOs (or roughly 2% of the estimated NEO population of interest) within its one-year mission.

=== Results ===
By October 2010, over 33,500 new asteroids and comets were discovered, and nearly 154,000 Solar System objects had been observed by WISE.<ref name=lisag/>

Discovery of an ultra-cool brown dwarf, WISEPC J045853.90+643451.9, about 10~30 light years away from Earth, was announced in late 2010 based on early data.<ref>{{cite news|first=Nicole|last=Gugliucci |date=18 November 2010|title=Infrared telescopes find ultra-cool brown dwarf|url=http://news.discovery.com/space/infrared-telescopes-find-ultra-cool-brown-dwarf.html|archive-url=https://archive.today/20120711144346/http://news.discovery.com/space/infrared-telescopes-find-ultra-cool-brown-dwarf.html|archive-date=11 July 2012|url-status=dead}}</ref> In July 2011, it was announced that WISE had discovered the first Earth [[Astronomy:Trojan (celestial body)|trojan asteroid]], {{mpl|2010 TK|7}}.<ref>{{cite news|first=Charles Q.|last=Choi|date=27 July 2011|title=First asteroid companion of Earth discovered at last|website=space.com|url=http://www.space.com/12443-earth-asteroid-companion-discovered-2010-tk7.html|access-date=24 August 2013}}</ref> Also, the third-closest star system, [[Astronomy:Luhman 16|Luhman 16]].

As of May 2018, WISE / NEOWISE has also discovered 290 near-Earth objects and comets ''(see section below)''.<ref name=jplstats/>

== Project milestones ==
The WISE mission is led by [[Biography:Edward L. Wright|Edward L. Wright]] of the [[Organization:University of California, Los Angeles|University of California, Los Angeles]]. The mission has a long history under Wright's efforts and was first funded by NASA in 1999 as a candidate for a NASA Medium-class Explorer (MIDEX) mission under the name ''Next Generation Sky Survey'' (NGSS). The history of the program from 1999 to date is briefly summarized as follows:{{citation needed|date=April 2018}}
* January 1999 — NGSS is one of five missions selected for a Phase A study, with an expected selection in late 1999 of two of these five missions for construction and launch, one in 2003 and another in 2004. Mission cost is estimated at US$139 million at this time.
* March 1999 — WIRE infrared telescope spacecraft fails within hours of reaching orbit.
* October 1999 — Winners of MIDEX study are awarded, and NGSS is not selected.
* October 2001 — NGSS proposal is re-submitted to NASA as a MIDEX mission.
* April 2002 — NGSS proposal is accepted by the NASA Explorer office to proceed as one of four MIDEX programs for a Pre-Phase A study.
* December 2002 — NGSS changes its name to ''Wide-field Infrared Survey Explorer'' (WISE).
* March 2003 — NASA releases a press release announcing WISE has been selected for an Extended Phase-A study, leading to a decision in 2004 on whether to proceed with the development of the mission.
* April 2003 — Ball Aerospace & Technologies is selected as the spacecraft provider for the WISE mission.
* April 2004 — WISE is selected as NASA's next MIDEX mission. WISE's cost is estimated at US$208 million at this time.
* November 2004 — NASA selects the [[Organization:Space Dynamics Laboratory|Space Dynamics Laboratory]] at [[Organization:Utah State University|Utah State University]] to build the telescope for WISE.
* October 2006 — WISE is confirmed for development by NASA and authorized to proceed with development. Mission cost at this time is estimated to be US$300 million.

<gallery class="center" heights="150px" mode="packed">
File:WISE before mating to its payload adapter.jpg|WISE being connected to its adapter for launch
File:Installation of the Payload fairing around WISE.jpg|WISE during the payload fairing installation
File:Delta II rocket launches with WISE.jpg|[[Engineering:Delta II|Delta II]] launch vehicle with WISE aboard
File:WISE IR launch crop.jpg|Infrared image of WISE's launch from Vandenberg AFB
</gallery>

* 14 December 2009 — WISE successfully launched from Vandenberg Air Force Base, {{wipe|California}}.
* 29 December 2009 — WISE successfully jettisoned instrument cover.
* 6 January 2010 — WISE [[Astronomy:First light|first light]] image released.
* 14 January 2010 — WISE begins its regular four wavelength survey scheduled for nine months duration. It is expected to cover 99% of the sky with overlapping images in the first 6&nbsp;months and continuing with a second pass until the hydrogen coolant is exhausted about three months later.
* 25 January 2010 — WISE detects a never-before-seen near Earth asteroid, designated [[Astronomy:2010 AB78|2010 AB78]].<ref>{{cite news|first=Michael|last=Cooney|date=26 January 2010|title=NASA space telescope spots asteroid |publisher=techworld.com|url=http://news.techworld.com/sme/3211166/nasa-space-telescope-spots-asteroid/|access-date=21 February 2010|url-status=dead|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20100221072446/http://news.techworld.com/sme/3211166/nasa-space-telescope-spots-asteroid|archive-date=21 February 2010}}</ref>
* 11 February 2010 — WISE detects a previously unknown comet, designated P/2010 B2 (WISE).<ref>{{cite press release|title=WISE spies a comet with its powerful infrared eye|publisher=NASA|url=http://www.nasa.gov/mission_pages/WISE/news/wise20100211.html|access-date=11 February 2010|archive-date=15 February 2010|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20100215035301/http://www.nasa.gov/mission_pages/WISE/news/wise20100211.html|url-status=dead}} {{PD-notice}}</ref>
* 25 February 2010 — WISE website reports it has surveyed over 25% of the sky to a depth of 7 overlapping image frames.
* 10 April 2010 — WISE website reports it has surveyed over 50% of the sky to a depth of 7 overlapping image frames.
* 26 May 2010 — WISE website reports it has surveyed over 75% of the sky to a depth of 7 overlapping image frames.
* 16 July 2010 — Press release announces that 100% sky coverage will be completed on 17 July 2010.<ref>{{cite press release|title=NASA's WISE Mission to Complete Extensive Sky Survey|website=jpl.nasa.gov|publisher=NASA|url=http://www.jpl.nasa.gov/news/news.cfm?release=2010-238|access-date=24 August 2013|archive-date=5 June 2012|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20120605142931/http://www.jpl.nasa.gov/news/news.cfm?release=2010-238|url-status=dead}} {{PD-notice}}</ref> About half of the sky will be mapped again before the instrument's block of [[Physics:Solid hydrogen|solid hydrogen]] coolant sublimes and is exhausted.
* October 2010 — WISE hydrogen coolant runs out. Start of NASA Planetary Division funded NEOWISE mission.<ref name=werner/>
* January 2011 — Entire sky surveyed to an image density of at least 16+ frames (i.e. second scan of sky completed).

''Hibernation''
* 17 February 2011 — WISE Spacecraft transmitter turned off at 20:00 [[Physics:Coordinated Universal Time|UTC]] by principal investigator Ned Wright. The spacecraft will remain in hibernation without ground contacts awaiting possible future use.<ref>{{cite press release|title=The WISE Spacecraft transmitter was turned off for the final time|date=17 February 2011|website=WISE / [[Organization:University of California, Berkeley|University of California, Berkeley]] |url=http://wise.ssl.berkeley.edu/news.html|access-date=19 February 2011}}</ref>

[[File:PIA18593-Mars-CometSidingSpring-NEOWISE-20140728.jpg|thumb|upright=1.0|right|Comet C/2013 A1 Siding Spring [[Multiple exposure|multiple exposure]] – four separate images superimposed against the same background stars (NEOWISE; 28 July 2014). (The four reddish smudges, center; the blue/white ovals top left are galaxies.)]]

* 14 April 2011 — Preliminary release of data covering 57% of the sky as seen by WISE.<ref>{{cite web|title=Mapping the Infrared Universe: Part 1|date=14 April 2011 |url=http://wise.ssl.berkeley.edu/gallery_allsky.html|access-date=6 July 2011}}</ref>
* 27 July 2011 — First Earth trojan asteroid discovered from WISE data.<ref name="jpl.nasa.gov"/><ref name="wise.ssl.berkeley.edu"/>
* 23 August 2011 — WISE confirms the existence of a new class of brown dwarf, the [[Astronomy:Brown dwarf|Y dwarf]]. Some of these stars appear to have temperatures less than 300 K, close to room temperature at about 25&nbsp;°C. Y dwarfs show [[Chemistry:Ammonia|ammonia]] absorption, in addition to [[Chemistry:Methane|methane]] and [[Chemistry:Water|water]] absorption bands displayed by [[Astronomy:Brown dwarf|T dwarfs]].<ref name=ucla/><ref name=morse/>
* 14 March 2012 — Release of the WISE All-Sky data to the scientific community.<ref name=fullrelease>{{cite press release|title=NASA releases new WISE Mission catalog of entire infrared sky|date=14 March 2012|publisher=NASA (JPL)|url=http://www.jpl.nasa.gov/news/news.cfm?release=2012-072|access-date=15 March 2012|archive-date=4 June 2012|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20120604151306/http://www.jpl.nasa.gov/news/news.cfm?release=2012-072|url-status=dead}} {{PD-notice}}</ref>
* 29 August 2012 — WISE reveals millions of black-holes.<ref>{{cite press release|title=NASA's WISE survey uncovers millions of black holes|website=NASA|date=29 August 2012 |url=http://www.nasa.gov/mission_pages/WISE/news/wise20120829.html|access-date=24 August 2013}} {{PD-notice}}</ref>
* 20 September 2012 — WISE was successfully contacted to check its status.<ref name=wright/>
* 21 August 2013 — NASA announced it would recommission WISE with a new mission to search for asteroids.<ref name=cbc20130822/>

''Reactivation''
* 19 December 2013 — NASA releases a new image taken by the reactivated WISE telescope, following an extended cooling down phase. The revived NeoWise mission is underway and collecting data.
* 7 March 2014 — NASA reports that WISE, after an exhaustive survey, has not been able to uncover any evidence of "[[Astronomy:Planets beyond Neptune|planet X]]", a hypothesized [[Astronomy:Planet|planet]] within the [[Astronomy:Solar System|Solar System]].<ref name=NASA-20140307>{{cite press release|last1=Clavin|first1=Whitney|last2=Harrington|first2=J. D.|title=NASA's WISE survey finds thousands of new stars, but no "planet X" |url=http://www.jpl.nasa.gov/news/news.php?release=2014-075|date=7 March 2014|publisher=NASA (JPL)|access-date=7 March 2014}} {{PD-notice}}</ref>
* 26 April 2014 — The Penn State Center for Exoplanets and Habitable Worlds reports that WISE has found the [[Astronomy:WISE 0855−0714|coldest known brown dwarf]], between −48&nbsp;°C and −13&nbsp;°C, 7.2 [[Light year|light year]]s away from the [[Astronomy:Sun|Sun]].<ref name=PSU-20140426>{{cite news|last=Nayan|first=Kamal|date=26 April 2014|title=Research discover[s] a cold, close neighbor of the Sun|website=counselheal.com |url=http://www.counselheal.com/articles/9514/20140426/researchers-discover-cold-close-neighbor-sun.htm|access-date=26 April 2014}}</ref>
* 21 May 2015 — NASA reports the discovery of [[Astronomy:WISE J224607.57-052635.0|WISE J224607.57-052635.0]], the most luminous known galaxy in the [[Astronomy:Universe|Universe]].<ref name="PO-20150521">{{cite news|title=WISE spacecraft discovers most luminous galaxy in universe|date=21 May 2015|publisher=Phys Org|url=http://phys.org/news/2015-05-wise-spacecraft-luminous-galaxy-universe.html|access-date=22 May 2015}}</ref><ref name="NASA-20150521">{{cite web |title=PIA19339: Dusty 'sunrise' at core of Galaxy (artist's concept)|date=21 May 2015|publisher=NASA (JPL)|url=http://photojournal.jpl.nasa.gov/catalog/PIA19339|access-date=21 May 2015}} {{PD-notice}}</ref>

== History ==
[[File:Animation of WISE orbit around Earth.gif|thumb|upright=1.0|right|Animation of WISE's orbit around Earth. Earth is not shown.]]
[[File:Wide-field Infrared Survey Explorer first-light image.jpg|thumb|upright=1.0|right|This first light image is a false color infrared image of the sky in the direction of the [[Astronomy:Carina (constellation)|Carina constellation]].]]

=== Launch ===
The launch of the [[Engineering:Delta II|Delta II]] launch vehicle carrying the WISE spacecraft was originally scheduled for 11 December 2009. This attempt was scrubbed to correct a problem with a booster rocket steering engine. The launch was then rescheduled for 14 December 2009.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.nasa.gov/mission_pages/WISE/news/wise20091210b.html|title=Mission News: WISE Launch Rescheduled for December 14 |author=Whitney Clavin|publisher=NASA|date=December 10, 2009|access-date=December 23, 2009}} {{PD-notice}}</ref> The second attempt launched on time at 14:09:33 UTC from Vandenberg Air Force Base in {{wipe|California}}. The [[Engineering:Launch vehicle|launch vehicle]] successfully placed the WISE spacecraft into the planned [[Astronomy:Polar orbit|polar orbit]] at an altitude of {{cvt|525|km}} above the Earth.<ref name=launch/>

WISE avoided the problem that affected [[Astronomy:Wide Field Infrared Explorer|Wide Field Infrared Explorer]] (WIRE), which failed within hours of reaching orbit in March 1999.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.nasaspaceflight.com/2009/12/live-ula-delta-ii-launch-with-wise/|title=ULA Delta II successfully launches with WISE|publisher=NASASpaceFlight.com|author=William Graham|date=December 14, 2009|access-date=December 26, 2009}}</ref> In addition, WISE was 1,000 times more sensitive than prior surveys such as [[Astronomy:IRAS|IRAS]], AKARI, and [[Astronomy:Cosmic Background Explorer|COBE]]'s [[Astronomy:Diffuse Infrared Background Experiment|DIRBE]].<ref name="Mainzer05"/>

=== "Cold" mission ===
A month-long checkout after launch found all spacecraft systems functioning normally and both the low- and high-rate data links to the operations center working properly. The instrument cover was successfully jettisoned on 29 December 2009.<ref>{{cite web|author=Whitney Clavin|url=http://www.jpl.nasa.gov/news/news.cfm?release=2009-206&cid=release_2009-206&msource=2009206&tr=y&auid=5763743|title=NASA's WISE Space Telescope Jettisons Its Cover|date=December 29, 2009|publisher=NASA|access-date=December 29, 2009|archive-date=5 June 2011|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20110605042414/http://www.jpl.nasa.gov/news/news.cfm?release=2009-206&cid=release_2009-206&msource=2009206&tr=y&auid=5763743|url-status=dead}} {{PD-notice}}</ref> A first light image was released on 6 January 2010: an eight-second exposure in the [[Astronomy:Carina (constellation)|Carina]] [[Astronomy:Constellation|constellation]] showing infrared light in [[False color|false color]] from three of WISE's four wavelength bands: Blue, green and red corresponding to 3.4, 4.6, and 12&nbsp;µm, respectively.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.nasa.gov/mission_pages/WISE/multimedia/wise20100106.html|title=WISE 'First-Light' Image|date=January 6, 2010|publisher=NASA|access-date=January 6, 2010}} {{PD-notice}}</ref> On 14 January 2010, the WISE mission started its official sky survey.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://wise.ssl.berkeley.edu/news.html|title=WISE – News & Events|date=February 11, 2010|publisher=NASA |access-date=February 21, 2010}} {{PD-notice}}</ref>

The WISE group's bid for continued funding for an extended "warm mission" scored low by a NASA review board, in part because of a lack of outside groups publishing on WISE data. Such a mission would have allowed use of the 3.4 and 4.6&nbsp;µm detectors after the last of cryo-coolant had been exhausted, with the goal of completing a second sky survey to detect additional objects and obtain parallax data on putative brown dwarf stars. NASA extended the mission in October 2010 to search for near-Earth objects (NEO).<ref name=werner/>

By October 2010, over 33,500 new asteroids and comets were discovered, and over 154,000 Solar System objects were observed by WISE.<ref name=lisag>{{cite news|author=Lisa Grossman|title=Top 10 Deep-space photos from infrared telescope's final days|url=https://www.wired.com/wiredscience/2010/10/wise-gallery/?pid=319|publisher=Wired|date=October 5, 2010|access-date=October 29, 2010}}</ref> While active it found dozens of previously unknown asteroids every day.<ref>{{cite web|url=https://science.nasa.gov/headlines/y2010/26mar_darkasteroids.htm?list994055|title=An Avalanche of Dark Asteroids|publisher=NASA|series=Science@NASA |first=Dauna|last=Coulter|date=March 26, 2010|archive-url=https://archive.today/20120714172304/http://science.nasa.gov/science-news/science-at-nasa/2010/26mar_darkasteroids/|archive-date=July 14, 2012|url-status=dead}} {{PD-notice}}</ref> In total, it captured more than 2.7 million images during its primary mission.<ref name=LATimes/>

=== NEOWISE (pre-hibernation) ===
[[File:Comets WISE.jpg|thumb|upright=1.0|left|Some of the comets discovered during the pre-hibernation NEOWISE.]]

[[File:NEA by survey.png|thumb|Number of near-Earth objects detected by various projects:
{| style="width: 100%; margin-bottom: 8px;"
|-
| style="vertical-align:top; width:45%;"|
{{legend2|#0000FF|border=1px solid #0000B3|[[Astronomy:Lincoln Near-Earth Asteroid Research|LINEAR]]}}<br/>
{{legend2|#FF9900|border=1px solid #B37400|NEAT}}<br/>
{{legend2|#FF0000|border=1px solid #800000|[[Astronomy:Spacewatch|Spacewatch]]}}<br/>
{{legend2|#FFFF00|border=1px solid #B3B300|LONEOS}}
| valign=top |
{{legend2|#009900|border=1px solid #003D00|[[Astronomy:Catalina Sky Survey|CSS]]}}<br/>
{{legend2|#FF00FF|border=1px solid #390052|[[Astronomy:Pan-STARRS|Pan-STARRS]]}}<br/>
{{legend2|#00CCCC|border=1px solid #333|'''NEOWISE'''}}<br/>
{{legend2|#993300|border=1px solid #333|others}}
|}
]]

In October 2010, NASA extended the mission by one month with a program called ''Near-Earth Object WISE'' (''NEOWISE'').<ref name=werner>{{cite news|author=Debra Werner|title=Last-minute Reprieve Extends WISE Mission|url=http://spacenews.com/last-minute-reprieve-extends-wise-mission/|publisher=SpaceNews|date=October 5, 2010|access-date=October 29, 2010}}</ref> Due to its success, the program was extended a further three months.<ref name=wright/> The focus was to look for asteroids and comets close to Earth orbit, using the remaining post-cryogenic detection capability (two of four detectors on WISE work without cryogenic).<ref name=werner/> In February 2011, NASA announced that NEOWISE had discovered many new objects in the [[Astronomy:Solar System|Solar System]], including twenty comets.<ref name=nasaneowisecomet>{{cite news|title=NASA's NEOWISE Completes Scan for Asteroids and Comets|url=http://www.nasa.gov/mission_pages/WISE/news/wise20110201.html|publisher=NASA|date=February 1, 2011|access-date=February 3, 2011|archive-date=3 February 2023|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20230203013541/http://www.nasa.gov/mission_pages/WISE/news/wise20110201.html|url-status=dead}} {{PD-notice}}</ref> During its primary and extended missions, the spacecraft delivered characterizations of 158,000 minor planets, including more than 35,000 newly discovered objects.<ref name="ibtimes20140303">{{cite news |url=http://www.ibtimes.com/nasa-neowise-spacecraft-discovers-new-comet-c2014-c3-spotted-143-million-miles-earth-1559027|title=NASA NEOWISE spacecraft discovers a new comet, {{mp|C/2014 C|3}} spotted 143 million miles from Earth|work=International Business Times|first=Charles|last=Poladian|date=March 3, 2014|access-date=April 30, 2014}}</ref><ref name="nasa20151111">{{cite web|url=http://www.nasa.gov/feature/jpl/secondhand-spacecraft-has-firsthand-asteroid-experience|title=Secondhand Spacecraft Has Firsthand Asteroid Experience|publisher=NASA|first=D. C.|last=Agle|date=November 11, 2015|access-date=November 12, 2015|archive-date=12 November 2015|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20151112171837/http://www.nasa.gov/feature/jpl/secondhand-spacecraft-has-firsthand-asteroid-experience|url-status=dead}} {{PD-notice}}</ref>

=== Hibernation and recommissioning ===
After completing a full scan of the asteroid belt for the NEOWISE mission, the spacecraft was put into hibernation on 1 February 2011.<ref name="nasa20110201">{{cite web |url=http://www.jpl.nasa.gov/news/news.php?release=2011-031|title=NASA's NEOWISE Completes Scan for Asteroids and Comets|publisher=NASA (JPL)|first1=Whitney|last1=Clavin|first2=Trent J.|last2=Perrotto |date=February 1, 2011|access-date=November 12, 2016}} {{PD-notice}}</ref> The spacecraft was briefly contacted to check its status on 20 September 2012.<ref name="wright"/>

On 21 August 2013, NASA announced it would recommission NEOWISE to continue its search for near-Earth objects (NEO) and potentially dangerous asteroids. It would additionally search for asteroids that a robotic spacecraft could intercept and redirect to orbit the Moon. The extended mission would be for three years at a cost of US$5 million per year, and was brought about in part due to calls for NASA to step up asteroid detection after the [[Physics:Chelyabinsk meteor|Chelyabinsk meteor]] exploded over Russia in February 2013.<ref name="cbc20130822"/>

NEOWISE was successfully taken out of hibernation in September 2013.<ref name="space20131219">{{cite news|url=http://www.space.com/24032-nasa-neowise-spacecraft-asteroid-photos.html|title=Reactivated NASA asteroid-hunting probe takes first photos in 2.5 years|publisher=Space.com|first=Mike|last=Wall|date=December 19, 2013|access-date=November 12, 2016}}</ref> With its coolant depleted, the spacecraft's temperature was reduced from {{cvt|200|K|C F}} — a relatively high temperature resulting from its hibernation — to an operating temperature of {{cvt|75|K|C F}} by having the telescope stare into deep space.<ref name="wright"/><ref name="LATimes">{{cite news|url=http://www.latimes.com/science/sciencenow/la-sci-sn-wise-asteroid-20130822,0,5195850.story|title=Going asteroid hunting: NASA wakes telescope from 2 &frac12 year nap|newspaper=Los Angeles Times|first=Deborah|last=Netburn|date=August 22, 2013|access-date=August 23, 2013}}</ref> Its instruments were then re-calibrated,<ref name="LATimes"/> and the first post-hibernation photograph was taken on 19 December 2013.<ref name="space20131219"/>

=== NEOWISE (post-hibernation) ===
[[File:PIA21259 - Celestial Object 2016 WF9, a NEOWISE Discovery (Artist Concept).jpg|thumb|upright=1.0|right|Concept art for {{mpl|2016 WF|9}}, discovered by WISE under the NEOWISE mission.]]
[[File:PIA22419-Neowise-1stFourYearsDataFromDec2013-20180420.gif|thumb|upright=1.0|right|{{center|First four years of NEOWISE data starting in December 2013 to December 2017. Green dots represent near-Earth objects. Gray dots represent all other asteroids which are mainly in the main asteroid belt between Mars and Jupiter. Yellow squares represent comets. White dots are asteroids in view of NEOWISE.}}]]

The post-hibernation NEOWISE mission was anticipated to discover 150 previously unknown near-Earth objects and to learn more about the characteristics of 2,000 known asteroids.<ref name="LATimes"/><ref name="nasa20130821">{{cite web|url=http://www.jpl.nasa.gov/wise/newsfeatures.cfm?release=2013-257|title=NASA spacecraft reactivated to hunt for asteroids|publisher=NASA (JPL)|first1=D. C.|last1=Agle|first2=Dwayne|last2=Brown|date=August 21, 2013|access-date=November 12, 2016|archive-date=30 August 2013|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20130830000959/http://www.jpl.nasa.gov/wise/newsfeatures.cfm?release=2013-257|url-status=dead}} {{PD-notice}}</ref> Few objects smaller than {{cvt|100|m}} in diameter were detected by NEOWISE's automated detection software, known as the WISE Moving Object Processing Software (WMOPS), because it requires five or more detections to be reported.<ref name="Mainzer2014"/> The average [[Astronomy:Astronomical albedo|albedo]] of asteroids larger than {{cvt|100|m}} discovered by NEOWISE is 0.14.<ref name="Mainzer2014"/>

The telescope was turned on again in 2013, and by December 2013 the telescope had cooled down sufficiently to be able to resume observations.<ref name=":0">{{cite web |url=https://www.lpi.usra.edu/sbag/meetings/jun2017/presentations/Bauer.pdf|title=NEOWISE reactivation mission status}}</ref> Between then and May 2017, the telescope made almost 640,000 detections of over 26,000 previously known objects including asteroids and comets.<ref name=":0"/> In addition, it discovered 416 new objects and about a quarter of those were near-Earth objects classification.<ref name=":0"/>

As of May 2018, WISE / NEOWISE statistics lists a total of 290 near-Earth objects (NEOs), including {{mpl|2016 WF|9}} and {{mpl|C/2016 U|1}}, discovered by the spacecraft:<ref name="jplstats">{{cite web |url=https://cneos.jpl.nasa.gov/stats/wise.html|title=WISE NEA / Comet discovery statistics|publisher=NASA / JPL|access-date=May 15, 2018}} {{PD-notice}}</ref>
* {{0|}}262 [[Astronomy:Near-Earth object|NEAs]] (subset of NEOs)
* {{0|0}}47 [[Astronomy:Potentially hazardous object|PHAs]] (subset of NEAs)
* {{0|0}}28 comets

Of the 262 [[Astronomy:Near-Earth object|near-Earth asteroid]]s (NEAs), 47 of them are considered [[Astronomy:Potentially hazardous object|potentially hazardous asteroid]]s (PHAs), a subset of the much larger family of NEOs, but particularly more likely to hit Earth and cause significant destruction.<ref name="jplstats"/> NEOs can be divided into NECs (comets only) and NEAs (asteroids only), and further into subcategories such as [[Astronomy:Atira asteroid|Atira asteroid]]s, [[Astronomy:List of Aten asteroids|Aten asteroid]]s, Apollo asteroids, [[Astronomy:List of Amor asteroid records|Amor asteroid]]s and the potentially hazardous asteroids (PHAs).<ref>{{cite web|url=http://neo.jpl.nasa.gov/neo/groups.html|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20020202160655/http://neo.jpl.nasa.gov/neo/groups.html|url-status=dead|archive-date=February 2, 2002|title=WISE NEA / NEO groups|publisher=NASA (JPL)|access-date=August 1, 2015}} {{PD-notice}}</ref>

NEOWISE has provided an estimate of the size of over 1,850 near-Earth objects. NEOWISE mission was extended for two more years (1 July 2021 – 30 June 2023).<ref name="JPL20210630">{{cite web|url=https://www.jpl.nasa.gov/news/asteroid-hunting-space-telescope-gets-two-year-mission-extension|title=Asteroid-Hunting Space Telescope Gets Two-Year Mission Extension|publisher=NASA / JPL|date=30 June 2021|access-date=2 July 2021}} {{PD-notice}}</ref>

{{As of|June 2021}} NEOWISE's replacement, the next-generation [[Astronomy:NEO Surveyor|NEO Surveyor]], is scheduled to launch in 2028, and will greatly expand on what we have learned, and continue to learn, from NEOWISE.<ref name="JPL20210630"/>

"As of August 2023 NEOWISE is 40% through the 20th coverage of the full sky since the start of the Reactivation mission."<ref name=neowise_at_caltech>[https://neowise.ipac.caltech.edu/ 'THE NEOWISE PROJECT']</ref>

=== Expected end of mission ===
On December 13, 2023 the [[Organization:Jet Propulsion Laboratory|Jet Propulsion Laboratory]] (JPL), announced that the satellite would enter a low orbit causing it to be unusable by early-2025. Increased solar activity as the sun approaches [[Astronomy:Solar maximum|solar maximum]] during [[Astronomy:Solar cycle 25|Solar cycle 25]] is expected to increase atmospheric drag causing [[Astronomy:Orbital decay|orbital decay]]. The satellite is expected to subsequently reenter the earth's atmosphere.<ref name=":1" />

== Data releases ==
On 14 April 2011, a preliminary release of WISE data was made public, covering 57% of the sky observed by the spacecraft.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.jpl.nasa.gov/news/news.cfm?release=2011-117|title=WISE delivers millions of galaxies, stars, asteroids|website=[[Organization:Jet Propulsion Laboratory|Jet Propulsion Laboratory]]|date=April 14, 2011|access-date=July 6, 2011|archive-date=30 April 2011|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20110430030724/http://www.jpl.nasa.gov/news/news.cfm?release=2011-117|url-status=dead}}</ref> On 14 March 2012, a new atlas and catalog of the entire infrared sky as imaged by WISE was released to the astronomic community.<ref name="fullrelease"/> On 31 July 2012, NEOWISE Post-Cryo Preliminary Data was released.<ref name=wright/> A release called AllWISE, combining all data, was released on 13 November 2013.<ref name="sciarchive">{{cite web|url=http://irsa.ipac.caltech.edu/Missions/wise.html|title=Wide-field Infrared Survey Explorer (WISE) and NEOWISE|publisher=NASA / IPAC Infrared Science Archive|date=April 19, 2018|access-date=May 15, 2018}} {{PD-notice}}</ref> NEOWISE data is released annually.<ref name="sciarchive"/>

In 2018, the reliability of the data was challenged in a paper by Nathan Myhrvold, who stated that the NEOWISE data suffers from systemic errors due to the spacecraft being designed to observe very distant objects rather than asteroids in the Solar System; NASA responded that they are "confident the processes and analyses performed by the Neowise team are valid, as verified by independent researchers".<ref name="ICARUS-20180522">{{cite journal|title=An empirical examination of WISE / NEOWISE asteroid analysis and results|journal=Icarus |first=Nathan|last=Myhrvold|volume=314|pages=64–97|date=November 2018 |doi=10.1016/j.icarus.2018.05.004|bibcode=2018Icar..314...64M|doi-access=free}}</ref><ref name="NYT-20180614">{{cite news|url=https://www.nytimes.com/2018/06/14/science/asteroids-nasa-nathan-myhrvold.html |title=Asteroids and adversaries: Challenging what NASA knows about space rocks|newspaper=The New York Times|last=Chang|first=Kenneth|date=June 14, 2018|access-date=June 14, 2018}}</ref>

=== unWISE and CatWISE ===
[[File:Allwise unwise compared.png|thumb|upright=1.0|right|Comparison between the Atlas images of Allwise (left) and the coadds of unWISE (right), using [[Astronomy:IC 1590|IC 1590]] as an example.]]

The Allwise co-added images were intentionally blurred, which is optimal for detecting isolated point sources. This has the disadvantage that many sources are not detected in crowded regions. The unofficial, unblurred coadds of the WISE imaging (unWISE) creates sharp images and masks defects and transients.<ref>{{cite journal|last=Lang|first=Dustin|s2cid=119237829|date=2014-04-04|title=unWISE: unblurred co-adds of the WISE imaging|journal=The Astronomical Journal|volume=147|issue=5|page=108|doi=10.1088/0004-6256/147/5/108|issn=0004-6256|bibcode=2014AJ....147..108L|arxiv=1405.0308}}</ref> unWISE coadded images can be searched by [[Astronomy:Equatorial coordinate system|coordinates]] on the unWISE website.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://unwise.me/|title=unWISE: unblurred coadds from WISE|website=unwise.me|access-date=2020-01-05}}</ref> unWISE images are used for the [[Citizen science|citizen science]] projects [[Astronomy:Disk Detective|Disk Detective]] and [[Astronomy:Backyard Worlds|Backyard Worlds]].<ref>{{cite journal|last1=Kuchner|first1=Marc J.|last2=Faherty|first2=Jacqueline K.|last3=Schneider|first3=Adam C.|last4=Meisner|first4=Aaron M. |last5=Filippazzo |first5=Joseph C.|last6=Gagné|first6=Jonathan|last7=Trouille|first7=Laura|last8=Silverberg|first8=Steven M.|last9=Castro|first9=Rosa|last10=Fletcher|first10=Bob|last11=Mokaev|first11=Khasan |s2cid=119087928|date=2017-05-24|title=The First Brown Dwarf Discovered by the Backyard Worlds: Planet 9 citizen science project|journal=The Astrophysical Journal|volume=841|issue=2|page=L19|doi=10.3847/2041-8213/aa7200|issn=2041-8213|bibcode=2017ApJ...841L..19K|arxiv=1705.02919 |doi-access=free }}</ref>

In 2019, a preliminary catalog was released. The catalog is called CatWISE. This catalog combines the WISE and NEOWISE data and provides photometry at 3.4 and 4.6&nbsp;µm. It uses the unWISE images and the Allwise pipeline to detect sources. CatWISE includes fainter sources and far more accurate measurement of the [[Astronomy:Proper motion|motion]] of objects. The catalog is used to extend the number of discovered brown dwarfs, especially the cold and faint Y dwarfs. CatWISE is led by Jet Propulsion Laboratory (JPL), [[Organization:California Institute of Technology|California Institute of Technology]], with funding from [[Organization:NASA|NASA]]'s Astrophysics Data Analysis Program.<ref>{{cite journal|last1=Eisenhardt|first1=Peter R. M.|last2=Marocco|first2=Federico|last3=Fowler|first3=John W.|last4=Meisner|first4=Aaron M.|last5=Kirkpatrick|first5=J. Davy|last6=Garcia|first6=Nelson |last7=Jarrett |first7=Thomas H.|last8=Koontz|first8=Renata|last9=Marchese|first9=Elijah J.|last10=Stanford|first10=S. Adam|last11=Caselden|first11=Dan|s2cid=201645245|title=The CatWISE Preliminary Catalog: Motions from WISE and NEOWISE Data|journal=The Astrophysical Journal Supplement Series|year=2020|volume=247|issue=2|page=69|doi=10.3847/1538-4365/ab7f2a|arxiv=1908.08902|bibcode=2020ApJS..247...69E |doi-access=free }}</ref><ref>{{cite web|url=https://catwise.github.io/|title=CatWISE|website=catwise.github.io|access-date=2020-01-05}}</ref> The CatWISE preliminary catalog can be accessed through [[Astronomy:Infrared Science Archive|Infrared Science Archive]] (IRSA).<ref>{{cite web|url=https://irsa.ipac.caltech.edu/cgi-bin/Gator/nph-scan?mission=irsa&submit=Select&projshort=WISE|title=Gator Catalog List|website=irsa.ipac.caltech.edu|access-date=2020-01-05}}</ref>

== Discovered objects ==
[[File:WISE 1828+2650 Brown dwarf.jpg|thumb|upright=1.0|right|WISE discovered the first Y dwarf (artist concept).]]

In addition to numerous comets and minor planets, WISE also discovered many brown dwarfs including some quite close the [[Astronomy:Sun|Sun]] in the context of solar neighborhood; these bodies are sort of dim stars expected to be about the size of [[Astronomy:Jupiter|Jupiter]] just a few light years from Earth. The other extraordinary discovery, was first [[Astronomy:Earth trojan|Earth trojan]], an asteroid in a special orbital relationship common to extremely large planets like Jupiter. Many other observations across the sky lead to many detentions, such of distant galaxies also.

=== Brown dwarfs ===
The nearest brown dwarfs discovered by WISE within 20 light-years include:
{{Incomplete list|date=February 2020}}
{| class="wikitable sortable" style="text-align:center"
|-
! Object
! [[Astronomy:Light-year|ly]] !! [[Astronomy:Stellar classification|Spectral<br/>type]] !! [[Astronomy:Constellation|Constellation]]
! [[Right ascension|Right<br/>ascension]] !! [[Declination]]
|-
| [[Astronomy:Luhman 16|Luhman 16]]
| 6.5 || L8 + T1 || [[Astronomy:Vela (constellation)|Vela]]
| {{RA|10|49|15.57}} || {{DEC|-53|19|06}}
|-
| [[Astronomy:WISE 0855−0714|WISE 0855−0714]]
| 7.3 || Y || [[Astronomy:Hydra (constellation)|Hydra]]
| {{RA|8|55|10.83}} || {{DEC|-7|14|22.5}}
|-
| [[Astronomy:WISE 1639−6847|WISE 1639-6847]]
| 15.5 || Y0pec || [[Astronomy:Triangulum Australe|Triangulum Australe]]
| {{RA|16|39|40.83}} || {{DEC|−68|47|38.6}}
|-
| [[Astronomy:WISE J0521+1025|WISE J0521+1025]]
| 16 || T7.5 || [[Astronomy:Orion (constellation)|Orion]]
| {{RA|05|21|26.349}} || {{DEC|10|25|27.41}}
|-
| [[Astronomy:WISE 1506+7027|WISE 1506+7027]]
| 16.9 || T6 ||[[Astronomy:Ursa Minor|Ursa Minor]]
| {{RA|15|06|49.89}} || {{DEC|70|27|36.23}}
|-
| [[Astronomy:WISE 0350−5658|WISE 0350−5658]]
| 18 || Y1 ||[[Astronomy:Reticulum|Reticulum]]
| {{RA|03|50|00.32}}||{{DEC|-56|58|30.2}}
|-
| WISE 1741+2553
| 18 || T9 || [[Astronomy:Hercules (constellation)|Hercules]]
| {{RA|17|41|24.22}} || {{DEC|25|53|18.96}}
|-
| [[Astronomy:WISE 1541−2250|WISE 1541−2250]]
| 19 <ref name=MartinEtal2018/> || Y0.5 || [[Astronomy:Libra (constellation)|Libra]]
| {{RA|15|41|51.57}} || {{DEC|−22|50|25.03}}
|}

Before the discovery of [[Astronomy:Luhman 16|Luhman 16]] in 2013, [[Astronomy:WISE 1506+7027|WISE 1506+7027]] at a distance of {{val|11.1|+2.3|-1.3}} [[Astronomy:Light-year|light-year]]s was suspected to be closest brown dwarf on the list of nearest stars ''(also see {{section link||Map with nearby WISE stars}})''.<ref name="Marsh2012">{{cite journal|title=Parallaxes and proper motions of ultracool brown dwarfs of spectral types Y and late T|journal=The Astrophysical Journal|first1=Kenneth A.|last1=Marsh|first2=Edward L.|last2=Wright|first3=J. Davy|last3=Kirkpatrick|first4=Christopher R.|last4=Gelino|first5=Michael C.|last5=Cushing|first6=Roger L.|last6=Griffith |first7=Michael F.|last7=Skrutskie|first8=Peter R.|last8=Eisenhardt|s2cid=42923100|display-authors=1|volume=762|issue=2|page=119|date=2013|arxiv=1211.6977|bibcode=2013ApJ...762..119M|doi=10.1088/0004-637X/762/2/119}}</ref>

=== Directly-imaged exoplanets ===
Directly imaged [[Astronomy:Exoplanet|exoplanet]]s first detected with WISE. See [[Astronomy:Exoplanet#Definition|Definition of exoplanets]]: IAU working definition as of 2018 requires M<sub>planet</sub> ≤ 13 {{Jupiter mass|link=true}} and M<sub>planet</sub>/M<sub>central</sub> < 0.04006. M<sub>min</sub> and M<sub>max</sub> are the lower and upper mass limit of the planet in Jupiter masses.
{| class="wikitable"
|+
!Host name
!Planet name
!distance to earth (ly)
!V-mag host star (mag)
!projected separation (AU)
!Mass planet (Mjup)
!Discovery year
!Note and reference
!Planet according to IAU working definition
|-
|L 34-26
|[[Astronomy:COCONUTS-2b|WISEPA J075108.79-763449.6]] (COCONUTS-2b) 
|36
|11.3
|6471
|4.4-7.8
|2011/2021
|first discovered with WISE in 2011, but planet status was established in 2021 by taking the listed [[Astronomy:Proper motion|proper motion]] of the planet and matching it with the [[Engineering:Gaia (spacecraft)|Gaia]] proper motion of the star<ref>{{Cite journal |last1=Zhang |first1=Zhoujian |last2=Liu |first2=Michael C. |last3=Claytor |first3=Zachary R. |last4=Best |first4=William M. J. |last5=Dupuy |first5=Trent J. |last6=Siverd |first6=Robert J. |date=2021-08-01 |title=The Second Discovery from the COCONUTS Program: A Cold Wide-orbit Exoplanet around a Young Field M Dwarf at 10.9 pc |journal=The Astrophysical Journal |volume=916 |issue=2 |pages=L11 |doi=10.3847/2041-8213/ac1123 |arxiv=2107.02805 |bibcode=2021ApJ...916L..11Z |s2cid=236464073 |issn=0004-637X |doi-access=free }}</ref>
|Mmin=4.4<13
M<sub>max</sub>=7.8<13
M<sub>max</sub>/M<sub>central</sub>=0.02<0.04
|-
|BD+60 1417
|[[Astronomy:BD+60 1417b|CWISER J124332.12+600126.2]] (BD+60 1417 b)
|144
|9.4
|1662
|10-20
|2021
|Only the minimum mass is within the IAU working definition<ref>{{Cite journal |last1=Faherty |first1=Jacqueline K. |last2=Gagné |first2=Jonathan |last3=Popinchalk |first3=Mark |last4=Vos |first4=Johanna M. |last5=Burgasser |first5=Adam J. |last6=Schümann |first6=Jörg |last7=Schneider |first7=Adam C. |last8=Kirkpatrick |first8=J. Davy |last9=Meisner |first9=Aaron M. |last10=Kuchner |first10=Marc J. |last11=Bardalez Gagliuffi |first11=Daniella C. |date=2021-12-01 |title=A Wide Planetary Mass Companion Discovered through the Citizen Science Project Backyard Worlds: Planet 9 |journal=The Astrophysical Journal |volume=923 |issue=1 |pages=48 |doi=10.3847/1538-4357/ac2499 |arxiv=2112.04678 |bibcode=2021ApJ...923...48F |s2cid=245005964 |issn=0004-637X |doi-access=free }}</ref>
|M<sub>min</sub>=10<13
M<sub>max</sub>=20>13
M<sub>max</sub>/M<sub>central</sub>=0.019<0.04
|}

[[File:PIA23792-1600x1200(1).jpg|thumb|upright=1.0|right|Discovery image of comet C/2020 F3 (NEOWISE)]]

=== Minor planets ===

WISE is credited with discovering 3,088 numbered minor planets.<ref name="MPC-Discoverers">{{cite web|title=Minor Planet Discoverers (by number)|publisher=Minor Planet Center |url=http://www.minorplanetcenter.net/iau/lists/MPDiscsNum.html|date=January 12, 2017|access-date=February 3, 2017}}</ref> Examples of the mission's numbered minor planet discoveries include:
* {{mpl|(310071) 2010 KR|59}}
* {{mpl|(336756) 2010 NV|1}}
* {{mpl|(419624) 2010 SO|16}}

=== Comet C/2020 F3 (NEOWISE) ===
On 27 March 2020, the comet C/2020 F3 (NEOWISE) was discovered by the WISE spacecraft. It eventually became a naked-eye comet and was widely photographed by professional and amateur astronomers. It was the brightest comet visible in the [[Earth:Northern Hemisphere|northern hemisphere]] since comet [[Astronomy:Comet Hale–Bopp|Hale-Bopp]] in 1997.

== Gallery ==
=== Full sky views by WISE ===
<gallery class="center" heights="200px" mode="packed">
File:WISE full sky.jpg|A full-sky view with infrared wavelengths rendered in visible light
File:PIA15812 - Galaxies burn bright like high-wattage light bulbs (crop).jpg|Same full-sky view, highlighting hot, dust-obscured galaxies
</gallery>

=== Selected images by WISE ===
<gallery heights="130" mode="packed">
File:WISE- Andromeda.jpg|Wide-field infrared view of the [[Astronomy:Andromeda Galaxy|Andromeda Galaxy]] using all four infrared detectors
File:IC 342.jpg|[[Astronomy:IC 342|IC 342]], a normally obscured galaxy visible through infrared imaging
File:WISE2010-040-rotate180.jpg|The green dot is WISE 0458+6434, which is thought to consist of two T-class brown dwarfs
File:Runaway-star-zeta-ophiuchi-110125.jpg|The [[Astronomy:Stellar kinematics#Runaway stars|runaway star]] [[Astronomy:Zeta Ophiuchi|Zeta Ophiuchi]] and the [[Astronomy:Bow shock|bow shock]] formed by this massive star
File:Puppis A - WISE - 609623main pia14884-full full.jpg|[[Astronomy:Puppis A|Puppis A]], which is a [[Astronomy:Supernova remnant|supernova remnant]]
File:Infrared Rho Ophiuchi Complex.jpg|The [[Astronomy:Rho Ophiuchi cloud complex|Rho Ophiuchi cloud complex]]
File:PIA13451.jpg|[[Astronomy:IC 2944|Lambda Centauri nebula]], a star-forming region in the Milky Way
File:PIA19341-MilkyWayGalaxy-SpiralArmsData-WISE-20150603.jpg|WISE data used to trace the [[Astronomy:Milky Way|Milky Way]]{{'s}} [[Spiral galaxy#Spiral arms|spiral arms]]
File:Exposing the Milky Way's "X".jpg|X-shape of the Milky Way [[Astronomy:Galactic bulge|bulge]] revealed by WISE
</gallery>

=== Map with nearby WISE stars ===
[[File:PIA18003-NASA-WISE-StarsNearSun-20140425-2.png|thumb|500px|center|Nearby stars with WISE discoveries WISE 0855−0714 and Luhman 16 (WISE 1049−5319)]]
{{clear}}

== See also ==
* Explorer program
* [[Astronomy:Infrared astronomy|Infrared astronomy]]
* [[Astronomy:List of largest infrared telescopes|List of largest infrared telescopes]]
* [[Astronomy:Nemesis (hypothetical star)|Nemesis (hypothetical star)]]
* [[Astronomy:Tyche (hypothetical planet)|Tyche (hypothetical planet)]]
* [[Astronomy:NEO Surveyor|NEO Surveyor]], a successor to NEOWISE

== References ==
{{reflist|refs=

<ref name=Mainzer2014>{{cite journal|first1=Amy|last1=Mainzer|first2=J.|last2=Bauer|first3=T.|last3=Grav|first4=J.|last4=Masiero|year=2014|title=The population of tiny near-Earth objects observed by NEOWISE |journal=The Astrophysical Journal|volume=784 |issue=2|page=110|doi=10.1088/0004-637X/784/2/110|s2cid=45559179|arxiv=1310.2980|bibcode=2014ApJ...784..110M}}</ref>

<ref name=MartinEtal2018>{{cite journal|last1=Martin|first1=Emily C.|last2=Kirkpatrick|first2=J. Davy|last3=Beichman|first3=Charles A.|last4=Smart|first4=Richard L.|last5=Faherty|first5=Jacqueline K. |last6=Gelino|first6=Christopher R.|last7=Cushing|first7=Michael C.|last8=Schneider|first8=Adam C.|last9=Wright|first9=Edward L.|last10=Lowrance|first10=Patrick|last11=Ingalls|first11=James|date=November 2018
|title=Y dwarf trigonometric parallaxes from the Spitzer Space Telescope|journal=Astrophysical Journal|volume=867|issue=2|page=109|doi=10.3847/1538-4357/aae1af|arxiv=1809.06479|bibcode=2018ApJ...867..109M |issn=0004-637X|s2cid=119097554 |doi-access=free }}</ref>
}} <!-- end "refs=" -->

== External links ==
* {{cite web|url=https://www.nasa.gov/wise|title=WISE mission|website=nasa.gov}}
* {{cite web|url=https://www.jpl.nasa.gov/wise/|title=WISE mission|publisher=NASA / JPL}}
* {{cite web|url=https://wise.ssl.berkeley.edu/|title=WISE mission|publisher=UC Berkeley}}
* {{cite web|url=https://www.astro.ucla.edu/~wright/WISE/|title=WISE mission|publisher=UCLA}}
* {{cite web|url=https://neowise.ipac.caltech.edu/|title=NEOWISE mission|publisher=Caltech}}

{{Explorer program}}
{{Space observatories}}
{{Planetary defense}}
{{NASA navbox}}
{{Astronomical Surveys}}

[[Category:Explorers Program]]
[[Category:Infrared telescopes]]
[[Category:NASA space probes]]
[[Category:Near-Earth object tracking]]

{{Sourceattribution|Wide-field Infrared Survey Explorer}}