The United States National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA) has announced preparations for a new mission targeting the space between stars, which will help create a 3D map of the Milky Way containing our Solar System.
Planets, stars, and galaxies beyond the universe showcase the beauty of space exploration. (Photo: theweek.in).
Specifically, the announcement states that the GUSTO mission will be conducted from the Ross Ice Shelf, near the McMurdo Station research facility of the United States National Science Foundation, no earlier than December 21.
Suspended in the atmosphere of Antarctica, GUSTO – a telescope mounted on a balloon – will observe the space between stars, also known as the interstellar medium, and assist scientists in creating a 3D map of a significant portion of the Milky Way using extremely high-frequency radio waves.
GUSTO is expected to explore various phases of the interstellar medium and the abundance of crucial chemical elements in the galaxy.
According to Chris Walker, the principal investigator for GUSTO, by studying the Large Magellanic Cloud (LMC) and comparing it with the Milky Way, this new mission will enable scientists to understand how galaxies have evolved from the early universe to the present day.
