For hundreds of years, astronomers were only able to explain the Universe through the visible light that their eyes could see. Far ultraviolet light in the Universe can help us understand more about conditions right after the Big Bang, the dispersion of chemical elements in galaxies, and the composition of interstellar gas clouds from which stars and planets form. A complement to other Origins missions, FUSE's focus on the far ultraviolet permits astronomers to study the many important atoms, ions, and molecules that cannot be investigated otherwise. FUSE was developed for NASA by the Johns Hopkins University, which has the primary responsibility for all aspects of the mission.
Collaboration also comes from the Canadian and French space agencies, which share in observing time.