  Astrophysical measurements away from the 1 AU orbit of Earth can enable
several astrophysical science cases that are challenging or impossible to
perform from Earthbound platforms, including: building a detailed understanding
of the extragalactic background light throughout the electromagnetic spectrum;
measurements of the properties of dust and ice in the inner and outer solar
system; determinations of the mass of planets and stellar remnants far from
luminous stars using gravitational microlensing; and stable time-domain
astronomy. Though potentially transformative for astrophysics, opportunities to
fly instrumentation capable of these measurements are rare, and a mission to
the distant solar system that includes instrumentation expressly designed to
perform astrophysical science, or even one primarily for a different purpose
but capable of precise astronomical investigation, has not yet been flown. In
this White Paper, we describe the science motivations for this kind of
measurement, and advocate for future flight opportunities that permit
intersectional collaboration and cooperation to make these science
investigations a reality.
