he National Optical Astronomy Observatory (NOAO) is the US national research and development center for ground-based nighttime astronomy. In particular, NOAO is enabling the development of the US ground-based optical-infrared (O/IR) System (the System), an alliance of public and private observatories allied for excellence in scientific research, education, and public outreach. The core mission of NOAO is to provide public access for qualified professional researchers, via peer review, to forefront scientific capabilities on telescopes operated by NOAO and other telescopes within the System. Today, these telescopes range in aperture size from 2- to 10-m. NOAO is participating in the development of telescopes with aperture sizes of 20 m and larger as well as a unique 8-m telescope (the Large Synoptic Survey Telescope) that will make a 10-year movie of the Southern Hemisphere sky. The Association of Universities for Research in Astronomy (AURA) operates NOAO under a cooperative agreement with the National Science Foundation (NSF). This presentation provides a more in-depth overview of the challenges and opportunities facing NOAO over the next 10 years.