With the number of space flights launched by NASA, there must be a tremendous data archive now. And widening the capabilities for archiving data is of general interest today. Current and forthcoming missions in NASA's space astrophysics program may result in an average archival data rate of close to 10 terabytes per year by the end of the decade. Once the data have been processed, the volume that is distributed in the community will be a multiple of the primary archivally stored data. A nationally supported archiving program will allow researchers, students, and smaller colleges and universities to enter the mainstream of modern research in a way that is not now possible.
Research using astronomical data archives can thus be very broadly based.
Individual workstations and departmental minisupercomputers should be acquired, providing a distributed network for astronomical computing. NSF should encourage the development of high-speed national networks by funding links to widely used observatories. NASA should increase its role in furthering the development of community software and standards. Archives should be designed to outlive any specific hardware, software, or media. Archives should include all the raw data, calibration data, and information necessary to remove instrumental signatures from the data.