There's this basic need that people have to know what is out there.
to understand what the universe is made up of.
Asteroids. dwarf stars. luminous galaxies
these are just some of the objects that NASA's Wide-field Infrared Survey Explorer
will uncover during its mission.
WISE will scan the entire sky in infrared light. picking up the glow of hundreds
of millions of objects.
With all these images we'll stitch them together to make an image atlas
of the entire sky and figure out. you know. what objects are on there
and make a catalog.
And we expect to see about 300 million objects.
WISE has already revealed spectacular images. such as this cosmic rosebud.
and this hidden galaxy.
Although there are other telescopes with infrared capabilities.
WISE is hundreds of times more sensitive.
However. this leads to a very limited lifespan.
as the solid hydrogen used to cool its sensitive telescope and detectors
will only last about 10 months.
(We have ignition and liftoff of a Delta II rocket and WISE)
WISE reached its polar orbit atop a United Launch Alliance Delta II rocket.
launched in the predawn darkness of Dec.14. 2009.
from Vandenberg Air Force Base in California.
Long after its mission ends. WISE will help answer fundamental questions about the
origins of planets. stars and galaxies for decades to come.