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NASA Selects SpaceX to Launch NEO Surveyor Mission for Planetary Defense

NASA has awarded SpaceX a contract to launch the Near-Earth Object (NEO) Surveyor mission, an advanced space telescope designed to detect and monitor asteroids and comets that could pose an impact threat to Earth.

4 minute readUpdated 6:20 PM EST, Fri February 21, 2025

NASA has awarded SpaceX a contract to launch the Near-Earth Object (NEO) Surveyor mission, an advanced space telescope designed to detect and monitor asteroids and comets that could pose an impact threat to Earth.

The mission will be launched aboard a Falcon 9 rocket from Florida no earlier than September 2027. The firm fixed-price task order is part of NASA’s Launch Services II contract, and the total cost to NASA for the launch service is approximately $100 million.

This cost includes not only the launch itself but also other mission-related expenses.

Strengthening Planetary Defense

The NEO Surveyor mission is a critical part of NASA’s planetary defense strategy, aimed at improving our ability to detect, characterize, and track near-Earth objects (NEOs)—asteroids and comets that orbit within 30 million miles of Earth. Many of these space rocks remain undiscovered, with the potential to pose significant risks in the future.

At the heart of the mission is an advanced infrared space telescope equipped with a 50-centimeter (nearly 20-inch) diameter primary mirror.



The telescope will operate in two infrared wavelengths, enabling it to detect both bright and dark asteroids. The ability to find dark asteroids—often invisible to ground-based optical telescopes—will make NEO Surveyor a game-changer in planetary defense.

Surveying the Skies Goals and Capabilities

NEO Surveyor is expected to conduct a five-year baseline survey, aiming to identify at least two-thirds of NEOs larger than 140 meters (460 feet) in size. These objects are of particular concern because they are large enough to cause regional-scale destruction if they were to impact Earth.

The infrared imaging system on board will not only detect these objects but also help scientists determine their size, composition, shape, rotational characteristics, and orbits. Unlike ground-based telescopes, which can be limited by atmospheric interference, the NEO Surveyor telescope will have an unobstructed view of space, greatly enhancing detection capabilities.

NASA’s Planetary Defense Infrastructure

The mission is managed under NASA’s Planetary Defense Coordination Office (PDCO), which was established in 2016 to oversee planetary defense initiatives. The PDCO operates under NASA’s Science Mission Directorate in Washington, ensuring that planetary defense remains a top priority for the agency.

NASA’s Planetary Missions Program Office at Marshall Space Flight Center in Huntsville, Alabama, provides overall program management. The mission itself is being developed and led by NASA’s Jet Propulsion Laboratory (JPL) in Southern California.

Collaboration with Industry Leaders

The NEO Surveyor spacecraft and its advanced instruments are being built with contributions from multiple leading aerospace and engineering firms, including:

  • BAE Systems SMS (Space & Mission Systems)

  • Space Dynamics Laboratory

  • Teledyne

Operational support will be provided by the Laboratory for Atmospheric and Space Physics at the University of Colorado, Boulder, while Caltech’s Infrared Processing and Analysis Center in Pasadena, California, will handle data processing and produce scientific data products. Caltech also manages JPL for NASA.

Launch Mission Timeline

NASA’s Launch Services Program (LSP) at Kennedy Space Center in Florida is overseeing the launch service, ensuring that all aspects of the Falcon 9 launch meet mission requirements.

The Falcon 9 rocket, known for its reliability and cost-effectiveness, was selected to carry the NEO Surveyor into space. SpaceX has a proven track record of launching science and planetary defense missions for NASA, including the Double Asteroid Redirection Test (DART) mission, which successfully impacted an asteroid in 2022 to test planetary defense strategies.

The NEO Surveyor mission is currently scheduled for launch no earlier than September 2027, marking another major step forward in NASA’s long-term commitment to planetary defense. As technology advances and new threats are identified, NEO Surveyor will play a crucial role in protecting Earth from potential asteroid impacts.

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