[toomuchtodo]

We could be constantly lifting new observatories to space, launch is no longer the constraint, but satellite manufacturing and cost.

NASA needs the SpaceX equivalent of an org that churns out satellites. The next bus to orbit leaves shortly.

[shantara]

I agree, and this applies to satellite manufacturing in general. Starlink has demonstrated that the new launch cadence requires a switch from single unit and small scale to serial production.

It's unbelievable that we don't currently have standard designs not just for observatories, but for communication, navigation, cartography and other satellite types. Cubesats took a step into the right direction, the same needs to happen for even larger payloads.

Another side of the problem is that NASA budget is heavily influenced by politics and PR. I'm sure there's plenty of smart people there who have realized that from purely scientific point of view, ten or twenty less capable and more disposable interplanetary probes or observatories could have advantage over unique absurdly expensive projects like JWT and Perseverance. But they are not as exciting and harder to sell to politicians and general public.

[TeMPOraL]

Launch is not a constraint for... about a year now. Satellites have a bit more lag time.

I don't think NASA needs the SpaceX equivalent for satellites - SpaceX itself is causing a boom in satellite manufacturing, so commercial market is accumulating expertise and lowering prices. NASA should find it easier and cheaper to buy or subcontract pieces of satellites too, and focus on bespoke mission-specific hardware.