NASA has approved the continued operation of the Spitzer mission through the commissioning phase of the James Webb Space Telescope in early 2019 as part of the 2016 Astrophysics Senior Review process. The review panel noted in their assessment: "The Spitzer Space Telescope has been a tremendously successful observatory that has achieved landmark results across the range of astronomical topics.” The Senior Review noted, in particular, the value of Spitzer observations in helping define the landscape for Webb telescope science. The Spitzer project is working on an implementation plan that will be consistent with the new budget guidelines.

2016 Senior Review of Operating Missions