Outcome 2.4: Universe

Discover how the universe works, explore how it began and evolved, and search for Earth-like planets.

Other Information:

The 20th century marked a time of epic discoveries about the universe—the Big Bang theory, black holes, dark matter and dark energy, and the interrelated nature of space and time. NASA proudly leads the Nation and the world on the continual journey of scientific discovery to answer some of humanity's most profound questions about the solar system and universe: What are the origin and destiny of the universe? Does life exist elsewhere? Having measured the age of the universe, we now seek to understand its birth, the edges of space and time near black holes, and the dark energy that fills the entire universe. We will explore the relationship between the smallest of subatomic particles and the vast expanse of the cosmos. Our missions will reveal the diversity of planets and planetary system architectures in our galaxy, pinpoint Earth-like, potentially life-supporting planets in other solar systems, and study stellar and planetary environments and what powers the most energetic galaxies. In conjunction with ground and airborne telescopes, our strategy is to design and launch space telescopes that exploit the full range of the electromagnetic spectrum to view the broad diversity of objects in the universe. Beyond the spectra of light waves, we also will seek to detect and measure gravity waves to understand the growth of galaxies and black holes. The National Academies released its new astronomy and astrophysics decadal survey, New Worlds, New Horizons in Astronomy and Astrophysics, in summer 2010. In the decade ahead, we will work to implement the survey's recommendations and advance its science objectives.

Stakeholder(s):

• National Academies

Indicator(s):

Indicator:1

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