The Legacy of the FUSE Mission

The Far Ultraviolet Spectroscopic Explorer (FUSE) mission was a far-ultraviolet space telescope that performed high resolution (R=20,OOO) spectroscopy in the 905 - 1187 A spectral range. FUSE primarily observed stars and distant galaxies to study interstellar and intergalactic gas through absorption spectroscopy, as well as the properties of the objects themselves. This capability complemented the Hubble Space Telescope at longer wavelengths, and provided the international astronomical community with access to an important part of the electromagnetic spectrum. FUSE was a joint project of NASA, CNES, and CSA. The mission operated from 1999 to 2007. This review talk will summarize the scientific impact of the FUSE mission on several key scientific problems, as well as lessons learned for future mission concepts.