NASA has chosen SpaceX to launch its NEO Surveyor spacecraft, which aims to detect and track asteroids and comets that pose a threat to Earth. The mission is set to launch on a Falcon 9 rocket from Florida’s Space Coast in September 2027.
The $100 million contract covers the launch and related services for the 5-year survey. NEO Surveyor will scan the heavens using its 20-inch telescope at the Sun-Earth Lagrange Point 1, approximately 930,000 miles from Earth.
The spacecraft is designed to identify both bright and dark asteroids, which are challenging to detect with current technology. The mission’s goal is to discover at least two-thirds of undiscovered near-Earth objects (NEOs) that are over 460 feet wide, capable of causing regional damage upon impact.
This will be SpaceX’s third planetary defense mission, following the successful launch of NASA’s DART probe in November 2021 and Europe’s Hera mission in October 2024.
Source: https://www.space.com/space-exploration/missions/nasa-picks-spacex-rocket-to-launch-asteroid-threat-hunter-neo-surveyor-in-2027