30 September 2014

The Virtual Observatory in the United States

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Funding for the US Virtual Astronomical Observatory (VAO) project is discontinued as of the end of September 2014. Virtual Observatory (VO) efforts in the US, or "virtual astronomy," will continue, and the legacy of the VAO will be preserved, by a combination of efforts.

As of 1 October 2014, the NASA archives will sustain key components of the VO infrastructure developed by the VAO, including the VO registry of services, real-time service monitors, and the website. The NASA archives will also take an active role in international efforts, including the International Virtual Observatory Alliance (IVOA) going forward.

All software, documentation, and other digital assets developed under the VAO are stored in the VAO Project Repository and are available for further community development. Many VAO-developed tools and services will be sustained by the organizations that developed them within the VAO collaboration. For a complete list of these tools and services, and for more information about the VAO closeout and continuation, please visit the VAO website.