WHY WAS THIS FUNDED?

NASA is authorized by Congress to carry out the U.S. civilian space program, which includes operating major science missions like the Hubble Space Telescope. This contract gives a nonprofit research organization the responsibility to manage the day-to-day science work of the telescope on NASA's behalf.

WHAT PUBLIC PROBLEM IS IT TRYING TO SOLVE?

The Hubble Space Telescope produces vast amounts of astronomical data that requires expert staff, software, and systems to turn raw observations into usable science. Without a dedicated operations center, the telescope's data could not be processed, distributed to researchers, or shared with the public.

WHO BENEFITS?

Astronomers and scientists worldwide benefit by getting access to Hubble observations and grants to study them. Students, educators, and the general public also benefit through outreach programs and freely available images and data from one of the most recognized scientific instruments in history.

WHAT ARE THE RISKS?

Because this is a single, very long-term contract worth 2.5 billion dollars with one recipient, there is limited competition, which can reduce pressure to control costs or improve efficiency over time. The contract type is listed as unknown, making it harder for the public to assess how costs and performance are being monitored.

WHAT HAPPENS IF FUNDING IS REMOVED?

If this contract were cancelled, the Hubble Space Telescope would lose its science operations center, meaning data processing, observation scheduling, and researcher support would stop. Decades of archived astronomical data could become harder to access or use, and ongoing scientific discoveries from the telescope would come to a halt.

ARGUMENTS FOR

• •Hubble has been one of the most productive science investments in U.S. history, producing discoveries that have reshaped our understanding of the universe, and this contract keeps that investment working.
• •The contract supports a broad community of scientists through grants, data access, and technical support, multiplying the value of the original telescope investment across many research projects.
• •Including two years of post-mission archival research ensures that all the data Hubble collected continues to be studied and preserved, maximizing the return on decades of public investment.

ARGUMENTS AGAINST

• •At 2.5 billion dollars spread over nearly 40 years with a single contractor, there is little competitive pressure to ensure taxpayers are getting the best value for the cost of running these operations.
• •As the Hubble telescope ages and newer observatories like the James Webb Space Telescope come online, continued high spending on Hubble operations may be harder to justify compared to funding newer science priorities.
• •The contract type is listed as unknown, which limits public transparency into how performance is measured and whether the government has strong tools to hold the contractor accountable for results.