NASA reported progress on NEO Surveyor’s sunshade on 26 October. The space telescope is designed to search for near-Earth asteroids and comets. Solar cells have been integrated onto the structure, and the team has completed functional and performance tests of the solar array. This is construction progress: the telescope is not yet conducting that survey in space. [1]

The sunshade stands about six metres tall and measures 2.4 metres across its base. Its 864 cells can produce up to two kilowatts: one side gathers energy while the structure shields the telescope from the Sun’s glare and heat. The instrument will seek infrared radiation emitted by sun-warmed objects, including in directions that are difficult for ground-based optical telescopes to search. [1]

The work predates the announcement: cells were installed in January, environmental tests took place in March and delivery to Colorado followed in May. The photograph shows inspections in July 2026. The achievement concerns components and ground checks, not newly discovered asteroids or a newly identified danger. [1][2]