NASA $1.55 Billion Award to Association of Universities for Research in Astronomy

Original title: National Aeronautics and Space Administration → ASSOCIATION OF UNIVERSITIES FOR RESEARCH IN ASTRONOMY, INC. ($1.55B)

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The Frame

What this does

This $1.55 billion federal investment funds the ongoing operations, data processing, and scientific management of the James Webb Space Telescope, which is a primary tool for current astronomical research.

Who is mentioned in the record

Potentially affected actors named in the source documents. Mention is not a position.

Association of Universities for Research in Astronomy, Inc.

The organization is responsible for managing the JWST mission activities and reporting requirements as defined in the award.

Astronomical research community

Researchers rely on the data processing, archival services, and proposal management systems funded by this award.

What changed

No recent stage movement in the current record.

What's next

Next step not available in the current record.

Summary

NASA has awarded $1.55 billion to the Association of Universities for Research in Astronomy (AURA) to support the James Webb Space Telescope (JWST) mission. The funding covers the full lifecycle of the mission, including design, ground operations, science program management, and flight operations.

Key Facts

NASA awarded $1.55 billion to the Association of Universities for Research in Astronomy (AURA).
The funding covers mission phases from formulation and development through one year post-launch.
The scope includes mission requirements analysis and observatory design support.
The award funds ground segment development, including mission simulations and integration testing.
The funding supports science program implementation, including proposal management and user grant administration.
The award covers routine science operations, such as observation scheduling, data processing, and archival services.
The funding supports flight operations, including health monitoring, command generation, and anomaly investigation.
The award includes support for the on-orbit commissioning program.
The recipient is responsible for generating performance and science return reports for the JWST project.
The award includes public and educational outreach activities.
The agreement allows for 'special studies' including follow-on mission research and new project-specific engineering tasks.

Why It Matters

Frequently Asked Questions

What is the purpose of this $1.55 billion award?

The funds are designated for the James Webb Space Telescope (JWST) mission, covering everything from initial design and testing to ongoing flight operations and scientific data management.

Who is receiving this money?

The Association of Universities for Research in Astronomy, Inc. (AURA) is the recipient.

Does this funding cover future missions?

The document notes that 'special project activities' may include studies for follow-on missions.

News Coverage

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Discoveries

Patterns POLISCOPE noticed across the record. These are observations to investigate, not conclusions.

policy shift90% confidence

Lifecycle Funding Model

The award structure explicitly links the funding from initial design through post-launch operations, indicating a long-term, integrated management approach for the JWST mission.

National Aeronautics and Space Administration James Webb Space Telescope