I. INTRODUCTION A^D SUMMARY 



A. INTRODUCTION 



This report is an attempt to inventory "big science" instruments 

 and facilities worldwide and to discuss briefly the extent of inter- 

 national cooperation in their construction, operation, and utiliza- 

 tion. 



The charge given to the Congressional Research Service by the 

 House Committee on Science and Technology was to: 



. . . include facilities constructed since 1920 at a 

 cost of approximately $25 million or more in 1984 Dol- 

 lars or its equivalent. It should include, as well, the 

 cost, the date of construction, and, if applicable, 

 the date of decommissioning. The analysis should 

 cover the extent to which these Big Science facili- 

 ties have been funded, operated, and used for research 

 on an international basis. We are also interested in 

 the potential for obtaining international cooperation 

 with respect to the support of present and future Big 

 Science research instruments and facilities and the 

 modes that have been successful and unsuccessful in 

 funding, operating and conducting research on an 

 international basis of such facilities. 



In response to this assignment, the Congressional Research Ser- 

 vice has identified and collected information on U.S. and foreign 

 big science facilities or groups of facilities 1/ meeting the $25 

 million (1984 dollars) criterion established by the committee for 

 this project. 



The term "big science" is somewhat indefinite. Historically, 

 it probably has been understood by most people to include what Harvey 

 Brooks, for example, defined it to mean in 1968: 2/ 



. . . the past fifteen years [since about 1953] 

 have seen even pure science carried out on an 



1 / Satellites and oceanographic research vessels are arranged 

 in groups in the inventory appendices. For example, all ASTROPHYSICS 

 EXPLORER satellites and all Federal Oceanographic Fleet vessels are 

 listed together on one page for convenience. Satellites and vessels 

 are written in capital letters for ease of identification. 



2/ Brooks, Harvey. The Government of Science. Cambridge, The 

 M.I.T. Press, 1968. p. 35. 



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