NEO Surveyor's Mirrors Undergo Inspection at JPL

A mirror set to be installed inside the telescope for NASA's Near-Earth Object Surveyor (NEO Surveyor) is seen during an inspection of the mirror's surface at NASA's Jet Propulsion Laboratory in Southern California on July 17, 2024. Being built in a JPL clean room, the infrared telescope is the spacecraft's only instrument and it will be used to seek out some of the hardest-to-find near-Earth objects that may pose a hazard to our planet. The reflection of principal optical engineer Brian Monacelli can be seen in the mirror. Known as a "three-mirror anastigmat telescope," the instrument will rely on a set of curved mirrors to focus light onto its infrared detectors in such a way that minimizes optical aberrations. Before being installed, the mirrors were examined for any debris or damage. Then, JPL's team of optomechanical technicians and engineers attached the mirrors to the telescope's "optical bench" in August. Next, they will measure the telescope's performance and align the telescope's mirrors. When complete, the telescope will be housed inside an instrument enclosure — being built at JPL in a different clean room — that is fabricated from dark composite material that allows heat to escape, helping to keep the telescope cool and prevent its own heat from obscuring observations.