Why are space telescopes expensive?

Space-Based Telescopes Ground-based telescopes can’t do the same, because the Earth’s atmosphere absorbs a lot of the infrared and ultraviolet light that passes through it. Nevertheless, space-based telescopes are expensive to build and difficult to maintain. Other space telescopes cannot be serviced this way.

How much does it cost to build a space telescope?

The James Webb Space Telescope (JWST) is expected to cost NASA $9.7 billion over 24 years. Of that amount, $8.8 billion was spent on spacecraft development between 2003 and 2021; $861 million is planned to support five years of operations.

What are the main disadvantages of putting telescopes into space?

Disadvantages. Space telescopes are much more expensive to build than ground-based telescopes. Due to their location, space telescopes are also extremely difficult to maintain. The Hubble Space Telescope was serviced by the Space Shuttle, but most space telescopes cannot be serviced at all.

How much did it cost to build the Hubble Space Telescope?

It took two years before shuttle flights could resume and NASA could begin planning Hubble’s launch again. The world’s first space telescope finally launched aboard space shuttle Discovery on April 24, 1990. The effort cost $1.5 billion, but there would be ongoing costs — both expected and unexpected.

What is the most expensive telescope ever made?

James Webb Space Telescope
World’s most expensive telescope surrounded by floodwater. The $8.8-billion James Webb Space Telescope, the biggest and most expensive space observatory built so far, is surrounded by floodwaters as Hurricane Harvey hit Texas.

What did Hubble cost?

How much did the Hubble telescope cost? Being arguably the most successful telescope of all time comes at a cost. Its original building costs of more than US $2 billion are exceeded only by the upcoming James Webb Space Telescope, and the total running costs of Hubble have now far exceeded US $10 billion.

Why space telescopes are better?

Space telescopes have the advantage of being above the blurring effects of the Earth’s atmosphere. In addition, there are many wavelengths from the electromagnetic spectrum that do not reach Earth because they are absorbed or reflected by the Earth’s atmosphere.