Association Of Universities For Research In Astronomy, Inc.

Association of Universities for Research in Astronomy, Inc., Space Telescope Science Institute (STScI) Division, doing business as Space Telescope Science Institute, is a non-profit research organization that acts as a prime recipient for NASA-funded research grants and federal research programs focused on space-based astronomical observation, exoplanet detection, and advanced instrumentation development for next-generation space telescopes. STScI operates as a division of its parent entity, AURA, and competes in full-and-open federal grant programs without set-aside designations, working exclusively with the National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA) across multiple funding mechanisms.

STScI's federal footprint centers on NASA research grants awarded through NASA's Shared Services Center and the Science program (CFDA 43.001), which funds astrophysics research spanning planetary science, heliophysics, and space exploration. The organization acts as a prime recipient on research grants supporting space telescope mission operations, science simulation tools, instrument design, and advanced data analysis. Representative grant work includes a $949,555 award for Habitable Worlds Observatory science simulation tools, instrument design, and testbed development (completion September 2026); a $1.89 million grant for developing laboratory-scale active segmented telescopes to enable coronagraphic testbeds (completion November 2026); and a $998,897 award for data analysis of James Webb Space Telescope Guaranteed Time Observations (completion December 2026). The organization also holds recurring grant awards supporting balanced science programs aligned with National Academies guidance and Congressional direction, with awards ranging from $20,000 to $995,769 and performance periods running through 2028 and 2029.

Customer concentration reflects NASA dominance. Of 360 total awards across all federal sources, NASA Goddard Space Flight Center anchors the potential-value ranking with 31 awards valued at $4.62 billion combined, while NASA's Shared Services Center leads by award count with 217 grants valued at $122.3 million combined. The two rankings diverge sharply: Goddard's higher potential value reflects multi-year telescope operations and infrastructure contracts, whereas Shared Services Center's volume comprises discrete research grants. NASA Headquarters and NASA Ames Research Center account for the remainder of STScI's top four customers. Together, these five NASA entities cover 100% of the organization's combined potential value, indicating exclusive federal customer concentration on NASA.

Awards completing in the next twenty-four months total 44 (combined potential value $4.67 billion), a substantial recompete pipeline driven by the Goddard-anchored telescope operations and science support work. Activity has grown—from 14 awards in 2022 to 29 in 2025—reflecting increased research funding volume and extended mission support obligations.

STScI acts as a prime recipient on 90% of recent awards and as a sub-recipient on 10%, indicating a delivery model that builds internal research and engineering capacity rather than relying on subcontractor networks. Across SCI-reportable service contracts (a partial view limited to federal services above the $150,000 threshold), STScI invoiced $43.3 million from FY2024 through FY2025, with 85.4 FTEs reported in FY2024 and 92.7 FTEs in FY2025. Government-paid hourly rates on these contracts ran uniformly at approximately $168 per hour across the 10th, median, and 90th percentiles, reflecting standardized federal research labor pricing. SCI data show minimal subcontractor engagement, with 0% of total contractor hours sourced from sub-award labor, confirming STScI's reliance on direct federal research staff rather than subcontracted delivery.

When STScI acts as a sub-recipient, it performs specialized work under prime recipients from leading research institutions and systems integrators. Sub-grant work includes roles under BAE Systems Space & Mission Systems (ULTRA-Stable Telescope Research and Analysis–Critical Technologies), Massachusetts Institute of Technology (Transiting Exoplanet Survey Satellite Phase B Bridge and project systems engineering), and numerous university partners including Stanford, University of Washington, University of California Santa Barbara, University of Florida, and others. These sub-awards focus on coronagraph design, wavefront sensing and control algorithm development, photometry pipeline construction, and spectroscopic data reduction—work grounded in STScI's core competencies in space telescope science operations and astronomical data analysis.

STScI's work spans exoplanet detection and characterization (Roman Space Telescope and Habitable Worlds Observatory missions), active galactic nuclei research, cosmological surveys, solar helioseismology, stellar photometry, and transient astronomy. The organization manages operations and science support for NASA's flagship observatories including the Hubble Space Telescope and James Webb Space Telescope, positions it as the Science Institute for multiple next-generation missions, and leverages collaborative relationships with universities and research centers across the United States.