| Telescope Name | Location | Frequency Range | Number of Antennas | Key Scientific Objectives | Notable Features |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| JWST (James Webb Space Telescope) | Space (L2 orbit) | 0.6–28 microns | Space telescope with segmented mirror | Galaxy formation, exoplanet atmospheres, star formation | Highly sensitive, large primary mirror; superior resolution and sensitivity for infrared |
| Spitzer Space Telescope | Space (NASA mission, decommissioned in 2020) | 3–160 microns | Space telescope with cryogenic cooling | Exoplanet atmospheres, star formation, galaxy evolution | Major infrared survey telescope; contributed to exoplanet and galaxy studies |
| WISE (Wide-field Infrared Survey Explorer) | Space (NASA mission) | 3.4–22 microns | Space telescope with cryogenic cooling | Asteroid detection, star formation, distant galaxies | All-sky survey in infrared, detected brown dwarfs and distant galaxies |
| SOFIA (Stratospheric Observatory for Infrared Astronomy) | Airborne (NASA and DLR) | 0.3–1600 microns | Modified Boeing 747 with a 2.7m telescope | Star formation, molecular clouds, planetary atmospheres | Airborne, can fly above most of the atmosphere for clearer infrared observations |
| AKARI | Space (JAXA mission) | 1.7–180 microns | Space telescope with cryogenic cooling | Galaxy evolution, star formation, interstellar medium | Performed an all-sky infrared survey; focused on star-forming regions and interstellar clouds |
| IRAS (Infrared Astronomical Satellite) | Space (NASA, UK, Netherlands mission, decommissioned) | 8–120 microns | Space telescope with cryogenic cooling | Star formation, circumstellar disks, galaxy evolution | First all-sky infrared survey; identified thousands of infrared sources |
| Herschel Space Observatory | Space (ESA mission, decommissioned in 2013) | 55–672 microns | Space telescope with cryogenic cooling | Star formation, molecular clouds, galaxy formation | Largest infrared telescope in space; detailed observations of star-forming regions |
| UKIRT (United Kingdom Infrared Telescope) | Mauna Kea, Hawaii, USA | 1–5 microns | Ground-based infrared telescope | Star formation, planetary studies, infrared surveys | Near-infrared telescope with wide-field survey capabilities, located at high altitude |
| Gemini South (Infrared capabilities) | Cerro Pachón, Chile | 1–28 microns | Ground-based telescope with infrared instruments | Exoplanets, star formation, Galactic center | Advanced adaptive optics, part of the twin Gemini Observatories |
| IRTF (NASA Infrared Telescope Facility) | Mauna Kea, Hawaii, USA | 1–25 microns | Ground-based telescope | Planetary atmospheres, star formation, interstellar medium | Primarily supports solar system research, especially infrared studies of planets |