Astronomy Picture of the Day . NASA Mission to MAP the Universe . ... 15.04.1996 . ... Astronomers have computed what bumps would be expected from several models of our universe, and comparing these results to MAP's data may yield a new understanding of the composition and structure of our universe . MAP has just won approval as a NASA MIDEX class satellite, and is currently scheduled to launch in the year 2000. Information: The Scale of the Universe Debate in April 1996 . ... April 1996 . ...