Cold, Small, and Plentiful: the Future of Instrumentation for Far-IR Astrophysics

Observations at far-infrared (FIR) wavelengths are critical to advancing our understanding in nearly all areas of astrophysics, from the search for habitable planets and the origin of life all the way back to the earliest stages of galaxy assembly. A developing portfolio of technologies, particularly in the field of spectrographic imaging, hold the promise of paradigm-shifting advances in scientific understanding. In this talk, I review the landscape of techologies of strategic importance to meeting the science goals in recent State-of-the-Field reports, examine the advancement of existing and new observing platforms, and discuss possible paths to best address the challenges facing far-infrared astronomy in this decade and beyond.