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

Image: NASA

A new online opinion poll asked Americans if the nearly $10 billion observatory was a good investment. Yes, the resounding answer.

An online poll of 1,000 Americans was conducted by YouGov, asking them their opinions on NASA and other space programs. Roughly 70 percent of those surveyed had a positive opinion of NASA, and 60 percent thought that the James Webb Space Telescope was worth the investment.

The poll was conducted between July 14th and July 18th, after NASA released the first images of sparkling stars. The images seem to have overshadowed some of the drama. It has been a long and harrowing journey for the telescope to get to that point. The development of JWST was marked by delays and overspending before it was launched. The telescope was supposed to be launched between 2007 and 2011 for a relatively low cost. The telescope went through a lot of schedules. The lifetime cost of the JWST was almost $10 billion by the time it was launched.

NEW: Following the release of the first images from the James Webb Space Telescope, 3 in 5 Americans say the telescope has been a good investment. One-quarter (26%) are unsure, and 13% say it has been a bad investment.https://t.co/gcL65FIjLE pic.twitter.com/AwJxbSkZVF

— YouGov America (@YouGovAmerica) July 19, 2022

The lifetime cost for NASA is the main reason for the nearly $10 billion price tag for JWST, according to the Planetary Society. According to the Planetary Society, the total costs of JWST account for 95 percent of all US spending between 2003 and 2026.

Most of the people surveyed didn't think about the price tag when they looked at the details of the Carina Nebula. People were impressed when they saw the already-iconic picture. One person who responded to the poll said that they were astonished by the beauty of it. One person wrote that he was overwhelmed by it. It is wonderful to be able to see so much detail in such a small area.

The first images are just a glimpse of what to expect. The longer the telescope is in space, the more revelations will come. The people who responded to the poll said they were eager for more. Some applauded NASA's ongoing space exploration for its broader contribution to scientific knowledge and others looked forward to seeing what else the telescope reveals

The Hubble Space Telescope, the International Space Station, and the Space Shuttle program were all mentioned in the survey. All received positive feedback.