NASA announced on Sept. 11, 2026, a citizen-science project called Artifact InSPECtor, which invites volunteers to examine real space telescope data and help train artificial intelligence to remove errors. The agency said participants of all ages can learn to recognize "artifacts" — signals in telescope data that come from sources other than real astronomical objects, such as light glinting off the telescope's housing, cosmic rays, or camera and electronics quirks. Volunteers' findings would be used to improve the instructions guiding the AI tool.

The project centers on data from ESA's Euclid space telescope, built with critical contributions from NASA. According to the announcement, data from NASA's Nancy Grace Roman Space Telescope was planned to be added starting in early 2027. NASA said the two observatories are intended to study the expansion of the universe and dark energy by splitting galaxy light into spectra.

The source also included a comment from nine-year-old participant Maeve F., who said it was "really cool that we can help teach computers new skills." The project is accessible via smartphone, tablet, or computer.