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S.H. Moseley (NASA / GSFC), D.J. Benford (NASA / GSFC), E. Dwek (NASA / GSFC), M.M. Freund (NASA / GSFC), J.P. Gardner (NASA / GSFC), A. Kashlinksy (NASA / GSFC), R.A. Shafer (NASA / GSFC)
We present a concept for a confusion-limited all-sky survey satellite in the far-infrared (100-500\mum), which would determine the history of energy release in the Universe. Half of the total luminosity in the Universe is emitted at rest wavelengths ~00\mum, therefore quantifying the evolution of galaxies at these wavelengths is crucial to our understanding the formation of structure in the Universe following the big bang. Surveying the whole sky will find the rare and unique objects - often those which are studied the most in follow-up observations. A helium-cooled telescope with ultrasensitive detectors can image the whole sky to the confusion limit in 6 months. Three wavelength bands permits the extraction of photometric redshifts, while a large telescope yields a low confusion limit. We discuss the implications of such a survey for galaxy formation and evolution, large-scale structure, star formation, and the structure of interstellar dust.