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

Shortly after NASA shared the first stunning images taken by the agency’s new team., the mighty James Webb Space Telescope, a new online opinion poll asked Americans: Was the nearly $10 billion observatory a good investment? And the resounding answer: yes.

Today, marketing and data analytics firm YouGov Published an online survey of 1,000 Americans, asked them their general opinion of NASA and whether various space programs were good investments. About 70 percent of those surveyed had a positive view of NASA, and 60 percent thought the James Webb Space Telescope, or JWST, was worth it.

YouGov notes that this survey was conducted between July 14 and July 18 after NASA released the first dazzling JWST images of luminous galaxies and nebulae on July 12. These images seem to be enough to overshadow some of them. JWST’s trap drama. The telescope may be in space and working right now, but getting to this point has been a long and sad journey. Prior to its launch, JWST’s development was marked by significant delays and budget overruns. Initially, NASA and mission planners hoped to launch the telescope between 2007 and 2011. At a relatively low cost of between $1 and $3.5 billion. But the telescope passed and a dizzying array of program shifts and mishaps. When the JWST is finally released on Christmas Day 2021, the total lifetime cost will be stop 9.7 billion dollars.

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

Of course most people When examining the intricacies of the Carina Nebula, captured in incredible detail by JWST, survey respondents probably didn’t think about the price tag. When the already iconic painting was shown, people became poetic. “Astonishment at the incredible beauty,” said one respondent to the YouGov survey. “I’m pretty overwhelmed by this,” another wrote. “It’s amazing to be able to see so much detail in such a small part of the universe.”

And these first images are just a small teaser for what’s to come. The stunning photos and revelations will keep coming the longer the telescope works in space. And those surveyed said they were eager for more. “Some applauded the ongoing space exploration for NASA’s broader contribution to scientific knowledge, and others said they looked forward to seeing what else the telescope would reveal,” YouGov said in its publication.

YouGov also surveyed respondents about other space investments, including the Hubble Space Telescope, the International Space Station, and the Space Shuttle program currently in orbit around Earth. All received generally positive reviews.