Most Americans think NASA’s $10 billion space telescope is a good investment

Most Americans think NASA’s $10 billion space telescope is a good investment

An image of the Carina Nebula, taken by JWST Image: NASA

almost NASA has shared the first stunning photos taken by the new agency, the mighty James Webb Space Telescope, a new online poll asked Americans: Was the nearly $10 billion observatory a good investment? The answer: Yes.

Today, marketing and data analytics company YouGov published an online survey of 1,000 Americans, asking them about their public opinion of NASA and whether or not the various space programs are good investments. Nearly 70 percent of those surveyed had a positive opinion of NASA, and 60 percent thought the James Webb Space Telescope, or JWST, was worth a look.

YouGov notes that this survey was conducted between July 14 and 18, after NASA released the first dazzling JWST images of bright galaxies and nebulae on July 12. It seems that these photos were enough to outdo each other. JWST’s past drama. The telescope may be in space and operational now, but it was a long and grueling journey to get to that point. Prior to its release, the development of JWST was marked by significant delays and budget overruns. NASA and mission planners originally hoped to launch the telescope sometime between 2007 and 2011. At a relatively low cost of $1 million to $3.5 billion. But the telescope went through an incredible collection of slips and accidents. When JWST finally launched on Christmas Day 2021, it had a total lifetime cost of $9.7 billion raised.

To be fair, the nearly $10 billion price tag for JWST is the ongoing cost to NASA, so that includes most of its development since the early 2000s, as well as its first five years of operations. According to the Planetary Society. The Planetary Society also notes that the total costs of JWST represented 0.0095 percent of total US spending between 2003 and 2026.

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Of course, most people Perhaps the pollsters didn’t think about price when they looked at the intricacies of the Carinae Nebula that JWST captured in amazing detail. When the iconic image came out, people cut their hair. “The awe of stunning beauty,” said one respondent to a YouGov survey. Another wrote: “I was so overwhelmed.” “It’s great to be able to see so much detail in such a small part of the universe.”

“The astonishment before an incredible beauty”.
And these first images are just a small preview of what is to come. Impressive images and discoveries will continue to emerge the longer the telescope remains in space. Those who responded to the survey said they were hungry for more. “Some have praised NASA’s continued space exploration for its broader contribution to scientific knowledge, and others said they also look forward to seeing what the telescope reveals,” YouGov wrote in his statement.