SpaceX Will Launch NASA's 'Corruption' Asteroid Observer Telescope

NEO Surveyor illustration of asteroid observers (photo: dock. NASA)

JAKARTA SpaceX, a space company led by Elon Musk, was selected as a launch service provider for the defense telescope. This space TELESCOPE is named the Near-Earth Object (NEO) Surveyor.

This contract was handed over on February 21, 2025, with a total cost of US$100 million or around Rp. 1.627 trillion. This contract includes SpaceX's launch service and costs related to missions with unlimited number of launches.

Although the contract has been handed over, the NEO Surveyor mission is targeted to launch in September 2027. It is planned that the asteroid and comet observer telescope will be launched using a Falcon 9 rocket from the launch pad in Florida.

"NASA has selected SpaceX from Starbase, Texas, to provide launch services," NASA said. "Launch service task orders are still being awarded based on NASA's Launch Services II contract."

The NEO Surveyor telescope is small enough, which is only 50cm, but its role is urgently needed by NASA. The telescope will operate in two heat-sensing infrared wavelengths to detect asteroids and comets that threaten Earth.

The hope is that this telescope can help scientists in finding collision threats from foreign objects in space. This telescope is capable of detecting bright and dark asteroids, even to what is difficult to find before.

"This space telescope is designed to help advance NASA's planetary defense efforts to locate and characterize most potentially dangerous asteroids and comets within 30 million miles of Earth's orbit," NASA said.

The NEO Surveyor mission will conduct a five-year fundamental survey to detect two-thirds of foreign NEO measuring more than 140 meters. This object is the main target because it has the potential to cause severe damage to the Earth's surface if it collides.