5 ms·
It really is worth pointing out, again, that it’s $10 billion…for the entire estimated lifetime cost of the project. Amortized out over 20 years? I’m not saying
by perardi 5y ago
It really is worth pointing out, again, that it’s $10 billion…for the entire estimated lifetime cost of the project. Amortized out over 20 years? I’m not saying it’s nothing…but given the US federal budget, it’s kind of nothing.
Compared to, oh, let’s say, $1.6 trillion dollars…
https://www.nbcnews.com/think/opinion/air-force-admits-f-35-fighter-jet-costs-too-much-ncna1259781 https://www.nbcnews.com/think/opinion/air-force-admits-f-35-...
But that’s just petty to point that out.
I too would like to see a debrief on “what went wrong”…if there is anything that really went wrong. I mean, there isn’t exactly an off-the-shelf solution for an infrared space telescope deployed to a phenomenally distant orbit. One might reasonably expect a few cost overruns, when you’re making mirrors that have no real precedence anywhere in human history.
- runnerup 5y agoYes it's about $1.66 per US citizen per year during the 20-year development. I've already personally received way more value than that just following the "entertainment" of following along with the construction and launch. I would gladly pay that much again for a repeat endeavor. Now that it looks like JWST will be able to perform actual science, I think we'll all get a lot more than $1.66/year of value out of it.
- sethammons 5y agoIt would be amazing to get a list every year on how your personal taxes were spread out like this
- mkoubaa 5y agoEven better if you could pick where 2% or so of your taxes go to
- mrguyorama 5y ago$30 per person basically. Jeeze I would straight up donate to a NASA gofundme that asked for that to do it again. Even had it straight up failed, $30 per person seems like a reasonable stake.
- onelovetwo 5y agoWell most of the cost is in building and launching the thing...