Who Uses Whose Telescopes? Analyzing the Knowledge Geography and Research Dominance of Global Astronomical Facilities

Abstract: Large-scale research infrastructures (LSRIs) are central to contemporary science policy, combining massive capital investments with international access regimes. Yet whether open access to these infrastructures translates into more equitable scientific authority remains contested. Astronomy provides a critical case: world-leading observatories are globally shared but embedded in specific national contexts. We compile a novel country--year dataset (1955--2025) linking the location of astronomical facilities with publication usage and authorship roles. This enables us to distinguish between hosting, using, and leading in telescope-based research. Our analysis reveals: (i) usage and impact are heavily concentrated in a small number of facility hubs; (ii) scientific leadership is even more unequal than access or usage (Gini coefficient 0.91 for first/corresponding authorship versus 0.85 for facilities and usage); (iii) hosting and leadership often decouple--countries such as Chile and South Africa mediate large publication volumes without commensurate gains in leading roles; and (iv) global leadership has shifted from U.S. dominance to a multi-hub system centered in the United States, Western Europe, China, Japan, and Australia. These findings challenge the assumption that international access alone democratizes science. We argue that converting participation into leadership requires domestic PI programs, investments in instrumentation and data pipelines, and governance models that distribute credit more equitably. The study highlights how the governance of LSRIs shapes global scientific hierarchies and offers design principles for infrastructures that seek not only to share data but also to broaden scientific authority.