Although it is difficult to determine exactly when the SDO mission will end, we know it will be around for at least another decade. Once the mission has ended, we will use SDO’s thrusters to move it several hundred miles higher in altitude into a collision-free zone; this is important because we don’t want it to collide with any active satellites and cause them damage. Once SDO is moved out of its orbit we will turn it off...but luckily that is not going to happen for several more years! (Fun fact: SDO has enough fuel to keep it in orbit for several hundred years!)
Where is SDO now? Check out its current operations information .
