NORC is working with the University of Arizona to help find a location for Cosmic Explorer where people will feel safe, included, well-resourced, and socially connected, as they use some of humanity’s most sophisticated tools to peer into the depths of our universe. To do this, we are pulling data from numerous geocodable sources to map the social landscape of the continental United States. As part of this effort, we are engaged in an innovative form of small-area estimation that uses some of NORC’s high-quality data products—especially the General Social Survey—to estimate the social landscape of the United States down to the smallest possible geographic scale. Our work will also be crucial for the University of Arizona team in partnering with Indigenous communities and local governments to ensure the benefits of this project are shared by all. 

The project has special significance for me because I’m interested in all aspects of science as they overlap with, and complement, the contributions of social science. Cosmic Explorer demonstrates that the value of social science need not be limited by national borders or even planetary atmospheres. And that if we are to hear the music of the stars, we must do so from theaters that we construct with our neighbors.  

• Scientists of every background and identity deserve to feel safe, included, and socially supported in their work, and the best scientific work occurs under these conditions. 
• Based on these principles, NORC partnered with the University of Arizona to identify the best location for a deep-space observatory. 
• NORC is applying small-area estimation in an innovative way and using in-house data products like the General Social Survey to help with this work. 

Social landscapes, including differences in safety, social connection, and attitudes, should be considered in where and how America builds its most ambitious projects.