Sebastian Völkel, AEI Potsdam, Germany — June 30, 2025

The first direct detection of gravitational waves from two merging black holes happened almost 10 years ago. It has revolutionized our capabilities to study the nature of black holes and neutron stars and test Einstein's theory of general relativity. Gravitational waves have become a new standard tool for astronomers, and future detectors will expand our capabilities to explore the dark universe in unprecedented ways. In this talk, I will introduce the basics of gravitational wave astronomy and discuss its current status. Looking at future developments of ground-based and space-based detectors raises one central question: Are we ready for what lies ahead? Are our theoretical models accurate enough to deliver the various science cases, or will we struggle with systematic biases?