NASA article

Peer Into the Deep: Mapping the Cosmic Web
While the ISS masters the immediate orbital environment, NASA's great space telescopes are charting the vast, ancient expanses of the deep universe. By capturing infrared light that has travelled across space for over 13 billion years, astrophysicists are witnessing the birth of the very first galaxies and cosmic structures.
One of the most profound frontiers in modern astronomy is the study of dark matter and dark energy. Together, these mysterious components make up roughly 95% of the universe, yet they remain entirely invisible to traditional instruments. By measuring how the gravity of massive galaxy clusters warps the light traveling behind them—a phenomenon known as gravitational lensing—NASA is mapping the invisible scaffolding of dark matter that holds galaxies together.
Simultaneously, the search for habitable worlds outside our solar system has accelerated. Space-based observatories are actively analyzing the atmospheric chemistry of distant exoplanets. By filtering starlight through an alien planet's atmosphere, scientists can identify the chemical signatures of water vapour, methane, and carbon dioxide, bringing humanity closer than ever to answering whether we are alone in the universe.