# Wide-Field Infrared Explorer

> former NASA space observatory

**Wikidata**: [Q1891259](https://www.wikidata.org/wiki/Q1891259)  
**Wikipedia**: [English](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Wide_Field_Infrared_Explorer)  
**Source**: https://4ort.xyz/entity/wide-field-infrared-explorer

## Summary

Wide-Field Infrared Explorer is a space telescope[1]. It originated from the United States[1].

## Summary
Wide-Field Infrared Explorer (WIRE) was a NASA space observatory launched in 1999 to study starburst galaxies and galactic dust. It was part of NASA's Small Explorer program and operated for only a few months before a malfunction ended its primary mission.

## Key Facts
- Launched on March 5, 1999 at 02:56 UTC from Vandenberg Space Force Base
- Operated in a Sun-synchronous orbit with a 97.53° inclination
- Cost $79 million including spacecraft, launch, operations, and data analysis
- Weighed 258.7 kg at launch
- Operated by Goddard Space Flight Center from March 5 to September 30, 1999
- Re-entered Earth's atmosphere on May 10, 2011 at 07:00 UTC
- Featured a 12.5 cm aperture telescope with a 33 cm x 33 cm field of view

## FAQs
### Q: What was the Wide-Field Infrared Explorer's mission?
A: WIRE was designed to study starburst galaxies and galactic dust using infrared technology. It was intended to map the infrared sky and observe distant galaxies, but a malfunction with its solid hydrogen cryogen supply caused the primary mission to end prematurely.

### Q: Why did the Wide-Field Infrared Explorer mission fail?
A: The mission failed because the solid hydrogen cryogen, used to cool the infrared detectors, was accidentally vented into space shortly after launch. This left the telescope unable to perform its intended infrared observations.

### Q: How long did the Wide-Field Infrared Explorer operate?
A: The primary mission operated for only a few months in 1999, from launch on March 5 until September 30. The spacecraft remained in orbit until 2011 when it re-entered Earth's atmosphere.

## Why It Matters
Wide-Field Infrared Explorer represents an important chapter in NASA's Small Explorer program, demonstrating both the potential and challenges of infrared space astronomy. Despite its short operational life, WIRE contributed to our understanding of infrared telescope technology and the complexities of space-based observations. The mission highlighted the critical importance of cryogen management in infrared astronomy and led to improved designs for future infrared observatories. WIRE's experience helped inform the development of subsequent infrared missions, including the successful Spitzer Space Telescope. The spacecraft also demonstrated the viability of the Pegasus air-launch system for small scientific payloads, contributing to the evolution of cost-effective launch options for NASA's Explorer program.

## Notable For
- First Small Explorer mission to use solid hydrogen cryogen for infrared cooling
- Featured one of the largest infrared detector arrays flown at the time (62 megapixels)
- Demonstrated the Pegasus air-launch system's capability for scientific missions
- Operated by both NASA's Goddard Space Flight Center and Bowie State University
- Provided valuable lessons that influenced the design of future infrared space telescopes

## Body
### Mission Design and Objectives
Wide-Field Infrared Explorer was designed as a 30 cm diameter infrared telescope with a 33 cm x 33 cm field of view. The spacecraft carried a 12.5 cm aperture telescope equipped with a 62-megapixel infrared detector array. Its primary scientific objectives were to study starburst galaxies and galactic dust by mapping the infrared sky.

### Technical Specifications
The spacecraft had a launch mass of 258.7 kg and was powered by two solar arrays providing 132 watts of power, along with a 9 Ah nickel-cadmium battery. The telescope featured a cryostat manufactured by Lockheed Martin Advanced Technology Center to maintain the infrared detectors at extremely low temperatures using solid hydrogen.

### Launch and Operations
WIRE launched on March 5, 1999, at 02:56 UTC aboard a Pegasus XL rocket air-launched from the Stargazer aircraft at Vandenberg Space Force Base. The spacecraft entered a Sun-synchronous orbit at an altitude of approximately 539 km x 588 km. Initial operations were conducted by Goddard Space Flight Center until September 30, 1999.

### Mission Failure and Aftermath
Shortly after achieving orbit, WIRE experienced a critical failure when its solid hydrogen cryogen was accidentally vented into space. This left the telescope unable to perform its intended infrared observations. Despite this setback, the spacecraft was later operated by Bowie State University from 2004 until contact was lost on October 23, 2006. The spacecraft remained in orbit for an additional five years before re-entering Earth's atmosphere on May 10, 2011.

### Program Context
WIRE was the fifth mission in NASA's Small Explorer (SMEX) program, following the Submillimeter Wave Astronomy Satellite and Transition Region And Coronal Explorer. It was succeeded by the TERRIERS mission in the Explorers Program and the Reuven Ramaty High Energy Solar Spectroscopic Imager in the Small Explorer program.

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## References

1. [Source](https://space.skyrocket.de/doc_sdat/explorer_wire.htm)
2. The performance of a high-precision photometry mission in space
3. [Source](https://sma.nasa.gov/docs/default-source/safety-messages/safetymessage-2009-02-01-wirespacecraftmishap.pdf)
4. The Wide-Field Infrared Explorer (WIRE) Mission
5. Recovery of the Wide-Field Infrared Explorer Spacecraft
6. Jonathan's Space Report
7. [Source](https://www.ipac.caltech.edu/wire/beginners/what.html)
8. [Source](https://www.ipac.caltech.edu/wire/indexA.html)
9. [Source](https://www.ipac.caltech.edu/wire/)
10. Freebase Data Dumps. 2013
11. [Source](http://www.astronautix.com/w/wire.html)
12. [Source](https://www.ipac.caltech.edu/wire/drop.html)
13. [Source](https://www.ipac.caltech.edu/wire/beginners/faqs.html)