Wide-Field Infrared Explorer
The Wide-Field Infrared Explorer was a NASA Small Explorer observatory built to survey starburst galaxies and search for distant ultraluminous galaxies with a cryogenically cooled 30-centimetre telescope. After the infrared instrument was lost, the recoverable spacecraft was repurposed for stellar-oscillation measurements and engineering investigations.
Follow this mission
Alerts are unavailable because this mission is no longer active.
Identity
- Aliases
- WIRE
- Name
- Wide-Field Infrared Explorer
- Slug
- wide-field-infrared-explorer
- Status
- failed
Details
- Astronauts
- -
- Description
- The Wide-Field Infrared Explorer was a NASA Small Explorer observatory built to survey starburst galaxies and search for distant ultraluminous galaxies with a cryogenically cooled 30-centimetre telescope. After the infrared instrument was lost, the recoverable spacecraft was repurposed for stellar-oscillation measurements and engineering investigations.
- End Date
- 2011-05-10
- Launch Site
- Outcome
- WIRE reached its planned orbit, but a pyrotechnic-control logic error ejected the telescope cover soon after launch. Rapid solid-hydrogen boiloff spun the spacecraft and exhausted its four-month coolant supply within roughly two days, ending the infrared survey before observations began. Controllers recovered the spacecraft for astroseismology and engineering use; it reentered on May 10, 2011.
- Program
- Small Explorer Program
- Start Date
- 1999-03-04
- Vehicle Families
Links
Assets & Meta
- Creation Time
- July 18, 2026 at 16:50:47 UTC
- Updated Time
- July 18, 2026 at 16:50:47 UTC
Other
- Affiliations
- Space Stations
- -
- Vehicles