NASA’s NEOWISE space telescope, dedicated to detecting near-Earth asteroids and comets, has ended its 15-year mission. The spacecraft, which vastly exceeded its original seven-month lifespan, discovered over 200 previously unknown near-Earth objects and provided valuable data on thousands more. The end of its mission is due to the sun’s increasing activity, which poses a threat to the spacecraft’s stability. While NEOWISE’s retirement leaves a temporary gap in Earth’s planetary defense, NASA’s NEO Surveyor telescope is in development, aiming to fill the void starting in 2027.