Wilkinson Microwave Anisotropy Probe

The Wilkinson Microwave Anisotropy Probe (WMAP) was a NASA satellite launched in 2001 to study the Cosmic Microwave Background (CMB) radiation, which is the faint afterglow of the Big Bang. By mapping the tiny temperature fluctuations in this radiation across the sky, WMAP provided crucial insights into the universe’s age, composition, and structure. It helped refine our understanding of cosmology, revealing details about dark matter and dark energy, and supporting the Big Bang theory. WMAP's findings have greatly advanced our knowledge of the universe's origins and evolution.