From 2003-2005

September 1, 2005 - WISE has completed and passed its preliminary design reviews, and is awaiting confirmation from NASA headquarters to proceed into final design and construction.

July 13, 2005 - WISE in the media: The July issue of Astronomy magazine has an article entitled Dark Threat, about the long hypothesized existence of a cool, dark stellar companion to the Sun, called Nemesis. The article mentions that the WISE survey will be sensitive enough to detect any such star if it exists. Visit Astronomy magazine online here.

November 29, 2004 - WISE in the News: Utah State University has secured a $40 million contract with NASA to build an orbiting telescope that will examine galaxies and try to find new stars. Read the article here.

October 8, 2004 - "NASA Approves Mission to Seek Nearest Stars, Brightest Galaxies" See the official NASA press release about the selection of WISE here.

August 25, 2004 - WISE has been selected by NASA as its next Medium-Class Explorer. With this decision the WISE mission will proceed into Phase B (Definition Phase). This phase will conclude with a preliminary design review in April 2005.

April 29, 2003 - WISE releases a simulated distribution of Brown Dwarfs in the Solar Neighborhood. These data and the viewer are available from our E/PO partner Hayden Planetarium at the American Museum of Natural History.

March 20, 2003 - WISE has been selected for an extended Phase A study leading to a decision in 2004 on whether to proceed with the development of the mission. Read the NASA press release on the MidEx selection.

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