The failed NASA infrared mission WIRE was successfully converted into a high-precision photometry experiment which operated for 17 months. Below I summarize the mission characteristics and performance, as well as providing some examples of the data obtained.

Recently it became clear from a line profile study that the β Cephei star β Crucis (Mimosa) is multiperiodic with at least three modes excited. Observations of this star by the star tracker of the WIRE satellite have now confirmed the multiperiodicity in the light variations. A total of 5 million observations covering 17 days was analysed and the three main periods are in perfect agreement with the line profile results. The amplitudes are small (3, 2.7 and 0.6 millimag for the dominant modes), but this is not surprising in view of the mode identifications derived from the line profiles. More periods could still be present, including the one earlier suggested by the radial velocity data.

Soon after launch in March 1999, the primary science instrument onboard the Wide-Field Infrared Explorer (WIRE) satellite failed due to loss of coolant. However, it proved possible to begin an asteroseismology program using the 52-mm aperture star camera. A few bright stars were monitored with the 512x512 SITe CCD in a bandpass approximately equivalent to V + R; further details about the orbit, the detector and the raw data reduction can be found in Buzasi et al. (2000) and Buzasi (2000). We included the binary star θ2 Tauri among the targets. It is composed of an A7IV primary and an A5V secondary (P = 140.728 d). The primary is a a δ Scuti star which has been observed several times in the last twenty years. Five terms have been determined in its light curve (Breger, 1989 and references therein); Li et al. (1997) demonstrated the amplitude variability of some of these terms by comparing different campaigns.

The COROT project, developed in the framework of the CNES small satellite programme with a wide European cooperation, will be launched in 2004. It is dedicated to seismology and the detection of telluric planets. It will perform relative broad-band photometry in visible light, during very long (150 days) observing runs in the same direction. Both programmes are working simultaneously on the same region of the sky. The seismology programme aims at mapping the HR diagram and study in detail 50 targets brighter than 9th magnitude. Another 50 will also be observed with a lower accuracy. The exoplanet programme will search for telluric planets slightly larger than the Earth, in the habitable zone and closer. Its data will also address many seismology problems.

The aim of the MONS (Measuring Oscillations in Nearby Stars) project is to use observations of stellar oscillations to perform an asteroseismic analysis of stellar interiors. We expect to obtain high precision oscillation measurements on a sample of 20 bright stars as well as oscillation data at a slightly lower level of precision, but on a larger sample of bright stars. MONS will be launched on the Danish Rømer satellite in mid 2005.

The MONS project on the Rømer satellite aims at studying properties of stellar interiors through observations of oscillations in stellar luminosity and surface temperature. The main targets are stars exhibiting oscillations similar to those observed in the Sun, with very low amplitudes. During the planned two-year lifetime of the mission, around 20 such stars will be observed with the MONS Main Telescope. Additional data on variability of a large number of stars of a broad range of types may be obtained from the Star Trackers. In order to assist in planning of both ground-based science as well as mission science itself, various tools and databases have been or are being developed. These tools are/will be accessible through the MONS Information System (MIS) which can be queried through a WWW interface. One such tool is a clickable map of the full sky with on it the various fields around the designated main targets of MONS. A click on a field leads to information on the stars within those fields which can be of interest for asteroseismic studies.