TRACING THE EVOLVING SCIENCE AND MEDIA IMPACT OF SPACE MISSIONS

Space science missions are initially selected to meet specific objectives within broader science goals. These prioritized goals are identified through a rigorous process that considers perspectives sampled from the scientific community at the time. However, many space missions live far beyond the duration of their primary missions and go on to address questions that were not considered during initial mission planning. In this work, we trace science output from the Hubble Space Telescope to illustrate how impactful its legacy has become beyond its initial primary science return and how that impact evolved over time. We also explore the James Webb Space Telescope's initial impact in pre-launch literature. We sift through databases of scientific literature to track co-occurrence statistics of key terms, such as mission names (e.g., “Hubble”) and science topics (e.g., “exoplanets”). We present analyses illustrating scientific output and media interest in these missions and science topics over time. It has long been assumed that the science return from space missions far exceeds their initial mission, but this work seeks to quantify that assumption. Additionally, this study reveals evolving science interests from the science community and the general public, illustrating the growth of new subfields in space science. Results may be used in defining science priorities, developing future missions, and optimizing communication with the public. Finally, the methods used to conduct this literature and media “mapping” is valuable for conducting fast literature reviews on any number of topics, particularly early career individuals. We suggest their use for making the vast scientific literature more accessible.