Yesterday morning NASA launched the WISE (Wide-field Infrared Survey Explorer), a solar-powered infrared telescope that will search the stars for planet-threatening asteroids and comets.

The telescope will spend the next 9 months in orbit, and will cover the entire sky 1.5 times and take pictures every 11 seconds. All data will be downloaded 4 times daily via radio transmission to Earth-based computers. Eventually, NASA will have enough data to create a master image of the sky, complete with asteroids, comets, and other objects.