INDIANAPOLIS — NASA could use a donated spy satellite telescope to
carry out a high-priority mission that would hunt for alien planets and
mysterious dark energy, a new report found.
Not only would one of two donated U.S. National Reconnaissance Office (NRO) telescopes suit the mission of NASA's proposed Wide-Field Infrared Survey Telescope (WFIRST)
— it would boost the mission's capabilities without much exceeding its
expected $1.63 billion budget, according to a study released on May 23.
The results of the study, known as WFIRST-AFTA (Astrophysics Focused
Telescope Assets), were presented here today (June 4) at the 222nd
meeting of the American Astronomical Society. [Declassified U.S. Spy Satellites Gallery]