Gaia: A Decade of Mapping the Stars

The Gaia mission has mapped the Milky Way for over a decade, measuring the positions, motions, and properties of billions of stars. Upcoming data releases (DR4 and DR5) will improve precision, expand classifications, and provide time-series data for studying exoplanets and binary stars. The GaiaUnlimited project addresses observational biases, ensuring accurate interpretations. Looking ahead, GaiaNIR could extend these efforts in infrared, revealing hidden regions of the galaxy. Though Gaia's observations have ended, its impact will shape astronomy for years to come.