To explore space we need to harness technology as it’s getting to a point that we should be able to miniaturize tracking and direction sensors to the size of basketballs. Along with miniature cameras these sensors could be used to scout space faster than satellites and voyager type of aircraft.
If we were to build an air canon capable of high ejection speed in space the basketball size sensors
Could be directed in any direction. All they would be is transmission sensors that send coordinates and snap occasional images and be huge relayed transmission system. Once reaching a target in space they would stay until they ran out of power or knocked out of orbit.