NASA Grant Funds 150 Telescopes for Idaho Schools

A five-year, $3.5 million Science Activation grant led by Boise State will expand astronomy education under Idaho's dark skies.

Updated on Nov. 15, 2026 in Space

Single robotic telescope on a sagebrush plateau under a bright Milky Way, with dark mountain ridges silhouetted on the horizon. — NASA awarded Boise State $3.5 million over five years to place 150 robotic telescopes in Idaho classrooms, using the state's dark skies for astronomy education. AI Illustration. Upload story photo >

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NASA awarded Boise State a five-year, $3.5 million Science Activation grant for astronomy research and education under Idaho's dark skies. The grant will fund 150 new robotic telescopes for Idaho teachers, particularly in rural areas.

Why it matters

Idaho's low population density leaves large areas of the state with little light pollution, making it well suited to astronomy. Few Americans can see the Milky Way, and the program aims to bring that night-sky access into classrooms statewide.

The grant builds on a 2023 effort that placed 50 telescopes with Idaho teachers, and about 80% of Americans have never seen the Milky Way. The source does not detail outcomes of the 2023 distribution beyond one paper now under review.

The players

NASA

The National Aeronautics and Space Administration is the U.S. federal agency responsible for civil space exploration and aeronautics research.

Boise State University

Boise State University is a public research university in Boise, Idaho, and the lead institution on the grant.

The details

Led by Boise State professor Brian Jackson, the project includes an astronomer-in-residence who will spend a few weeks each year at the Central Idaho Dark Sky Reserve. Teachers will collect data under the dark skies as citizen scientists, supported by lesson plans built around real-world research.

2023: Boise State distributed 50 telescopes to Idaho teachers through a smaller grant.
2026: Chandler Beasley graduated from the telescope program.
Five-year period: NASA grant funds astronomy research and education under Idaho's dark skies.

Deeper Dive

The award operates under NASA's Science Activation program, which funds education projects that connect students and teachers to active research. The Idaho effort applies that model to dark-sky astronomy, using citizen science data collection in classrooms.

Idaho teachers will receive robotic telescopes to use in classrooms, especially in rural districts, giving students hands-on access to astronomy. The telescopes are expected to help monitor small solar system objects and exoplanets over time.

The takeaway

Access to dark skies is a resource that can be built into education, not just observed. Teachers and students can use local night-sky conditions as a starting point for real scientific inquiry.