On 12/26/13, 8:00 PM, Yousuf Khan wrote:
Billion dollar observatory will map the Milky Way
http://why.knovel.com/all-engineerin...milky-way.html


Gaia, which has been built by space engineering firm Astrium for the
European Space Agency, is projected to have a five-year lifespan and
is the successor to the ESA's Hipparcos satellite, a data gatherer
until its retirement in 1993. The observatory is also expected to add
to the information that has been transmitted by the Hubble Space
Telescope, with a primary objective being the hunt for exoplanets
beyond the borders of the known solar system.


Similar to the Kepler Space Telescope who's primary objective was
also being the hunt for exoplanets beyond the borders of the known
solar system.