Colorado-based Ball Aerospace & Technologies Corporation has completed environmental testing for NASA’s Wide-field Infrared Survey Explorer (WISE) and has begun post-environmental performance testing. The projected launch date for WISE is November 1, 2009. Environmental testing included electromagnetic compatibility, electromagnetic interference, thermal vacuum, vibration, shock, and acoustic testing to confirm the design integrity of the spacecraft. WISE will survey the entire sky with sensitivity hundreds of times better than previous infrared missions. It is designed to identify stars closest to the sun, to enable a wide variety of studies in star formation and galactic structures, and to assist the James Webb Space Telescope identify which objects to observe following its expected 2014 launch.See the original announcement on the Ball Aerospace website.
NASA Spacecraft Undergoes EMC/EMI and Other Environmental Testing
