Pioneer 10, developed at NASA Ames, was the first probe to leave our solar system and will reach Aldebaran in the constellation Taurus in 2 million years. Fortunately, we don’t have to wait that long to increase our understanding of the universe. Instruments like the Hubble Space Telescope have let us witness wonders such as the birth of starts in the Eagle Nebula and the awesome destructiveness of black holes. Soon a new generation of ground- and space-based instruments will gather

Within the next few years, NASA Ames, working collaboratively with other NASA centers, will deploy new instruments to look at the universe to detect planets orbiting stars within the ‘habitable zone,’ and use the infrared spectrum to detect the hidden wonders of the universe not seen using visible light. To keep these new instruments working at peak performance, Ames scientists and engineers also are developing software that will allow these instruments to perform routine maintenance and adapt to the unforgiving conditions of space.

As NASA looks deeper into the final frontier of space, NASA Ames will continue to develop sophisticated technologies that will increase our understanding of our place in the universe.