editorial The funding frontier More and more private money is pouring into astronomical research and , and it's not all hype.

he 7 January 2018 launch by SpaceX astronomy has a long history of patronage. questions on cosmology, dark matter of a secret US government — The first ‘research’ observatories in Iraq and and dark energy and the formation Tknown as Zuma — was not officially India in the 9th century were supported structure of the , or to search acknowledged as a success. Thus followed by their respective rulers to systematically for and characterize and their the rumours of a failed mission, with the map the movements of heavenly bodies. atmospheres, is still quite ‘safe’ in terms of blame bouncing between SpaceX, who Royal patronage grew steadily but patchily scientific funding topics. It would be more claim that their rocket performed from the 13th century, but the advent of difficult to convince governments (and as planned, and Northrop Grumman, international trade and empire-building, universities) to pump vast sums into looking the aerospace contractor that built the which depended heavily on a nation’s for or reaching a planet payload and the payload adaptor. But navigational prowess, gave rise to a clutch beyond our Galaxy. And here, on the private being a secret mission, perhaps everything of new observatories in the 17th century, end of the public–private partnership did go according to plan and there is no including the Paris Observatory (backed spectrum sits the confirmation just because. Either way, by Louis XIV) and the Royal Observatory, — , Breakthrough nobody is willing to say anything on record, Greenwich (commissioned by Charles II). Starshot, Breakthrough Message and citing “the classified nature of the payload”. More recently, we have many examples Breakthrough Watch — funded by the That such public–private partnerships of observatories founded by generous Foundation, founded are on the rise is the more interesting story. benefactors in the late 19th century: the Lick by . The goal is to answer the With costs spiralling ever upwards, NASA Observatory, the Smithsonian Astrophysical eternal question: are we alone? for example, needs to outsource where it Observatory, the Lowell Observatory By ‘listening’ and ‘watching’ they are can, so it makes perfect sense to do so when and more. And let’s not forget the Sloan searching for signs of life and compiling a the technology exists. This way, NASA Digital Sky Survey from 2000, supported list of targets for miniature light-powered can focus on the scientific mission and by the Alfred P. Sloan Foundation. Surveys nanocraft beyond the Solar System. the bespoke technology required. Besides are growing in importance and the data Breakthrough Listen has committed SpaceX, the only other US-based private generated have led to innovations in the US$100 million (over 10 years) for SETI, contractor in the business of launching whole data-handling industry. buying time for extensive surveys on radio things for other people is United Launch Today we have a new wave of billionaires telescopes such as the Parkes and Green Alliance, owned by Boeing and Lockheed who want to support research and Bank observatories, and the optical Lick Martin. (Blue Origin, founded by Jeff Bezos, development. They generally share a desire Observatory, and paying some researchers is also in the space exploration business but to make a positive difference, particularly in to collect and analyse data. Breakthrough on a smaller scale.) areas where they can take long-term risks, Starshot aims to send a flyby mission to Both SpaceX and Boeing have won which can be harder to justify with public that would take 20 years NASA contracts to launch astronauts into funding alone. The Gordon and Betty Moore instead of thousands. This initiative space in 2018, though it seems 2019 will Foundation, for instance, has committed also has funding of US$100 million for be more realistic. Seemingly unperturbed US$250 million towards the Thirty Meter 5–10 years, and proposals for proof- by the negative press from Zuma, SpaceX Telescope. Bill Gates and the Charles and of-concept demonstrations of the light-sail is preparing to ‘test fire’ the Lisa Simonyi Fund have donated US$30 technology have been reviewed and are soon. This rocket has been designed to million towards the Large Synoptic Survey soon to be funded. launch passengers into deep space, with Telescope in Chile. Both of these telescopes Much of the hype surrounding the Mars as a target. But the tests will be are public–private partnerships that include Breakthrough Initiatives sounds fantastical, carrying mainly the reputation of SpaceX, governments. but the science is underpinned by scientists. whose reliability is in question after three There are also collaborations that do In fact, Breakthrough Listen has already setbacks prior to Zuma. not involve governments directly, possibly contributed to research on fast radio bursts But leaving things to the private sector reducing red tape and bureaucracy. The Giant as well as the recent interstellar visitor comes with a myriad of issues, not least those Magellan Telescope, under construction in ‘Oumuamua. And that is the important concerning regulations and accountability. the Chilean Andes, was founded by a small point. As long as scientists are involved, Plus, they do care about good PR as well as number of universities and institutions, and even if the goal seems outlandish, interesting the bottom line. There is a general worry that will be the first of a generation of ‘extremely discoveries will be made along the way. We fundamental science will suffer. large telescopes’ to achieve first light in 2023. just need an enabler. Ultimately, whatever So how do we best do science in the face The Simons Foundation have put in US$38.4 the funding — public, public– of government austerity? In astronomy, million for the Simons Observatory for private or private — science is advancing telescopes don’t come cheap. For instance, studying the cosmic microwave background, and we should embrace the resurgence to fund new projects, the National Science also planned for Chile. And similarly, it of philanthropy. ❐ Foundation is reducing its support of the has a small number of partner universities , among others, leaving and institutions. them to look for new partners to contribute But this approach to fund bigger Published online: 29 January 2018 towards running costs. Fortunately, telescopes and larger surveys to answer https://doi.org/10.1038/s41550-018-0392-5

Nature Astronomy | VOL 2 | FEBRUARY 2018 | 101 | www.nature.com/natureastronomy 101 © 2018 Macmillan Publishers Limited, part of Springer Nature. All rights reserved. © 2018 Macmillan Publishers Limited, part of Springer Nature. All rights reserved.