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The Hubble Space Telescope mission, at 1.3 billion dollars, 

 receives about 15 percent of its costs from the European 

 community. More nearly balanced cost sharing has characterized 

 the infra-red astronomy satellite (IRAS). For the turn of the 

 century, a study now being conducted by the Space Science Board 

 (SSB) of the National Research Council (NRC) foresees a 

 magnificent agenda of future high technology missions, many 

 coupled to the space station. The projected scientific 

 performance is so advanced that accomplishment of these missions 

 will certainly revolutionize our concepts of the universe. Cost 

 will, however, exceed the most expensive present generation 

 missions. Certainly, civilized societies will support the 

 achievement of such goals but the costs entailed almost demand 

 international cost sharing and cooperative scientific 

 participation. These 21st century observatories should truly be 

 world class facilities built and operated by international 

 consortiums. 



Closer at hand are concepts for new technology ground-based 

 telescopes now under serious study, that average around a 

 typical cost of about 100 million dollars. Most of these are 

 U.S. concepts, some with expectations of primary funding by 

 private sources and matching funds from federal agencies. The 

 Very Long Base Line Array (VLBA) which received the highest 

 priority for ground based astronomy in the recent NRC survey of 



