Table 1. Federal obligations for research and development, by type of R&D, and for R&D plant: FYs 1951–2017
(Dollars in thousands)
Fiscal year |
Total |
Total R&D |
Total research |
Basic research |
Applied research |
Development |
R&D plant |
1951 |
1,851,571.0 |
1,521,527.0 |
NA |
NA |
NA |
NA |
330,044.0 |
1952 |
2,216,848.0 |
1,909,665.0 |
NA |
120,945.0 |
NA |
NA |
307,183.0 |
1953 |
2,167,456.0 |
1,919,543.0 |
NA |
115,997.0 |
NA |
NA |
247,913.0 |
1954 |
1,918,046.0 |
1,761,840.0 |
NA |
116,033.0 |
NA |
NA |
156,206.0 |
1955 |
2,251,894.0 |
2,044,593.0 |
NA |
130,068.0 |
NA |
NA |
207,301.0 |
1956 |
3,266,903.0 |
2,988,203.0 |
851,947.0 |
206,441.0 |
645,506.0 |
2,136,256.0 |
278,700.0 |
1957 |
4,389,237.0 |
3,932,001.0 |
924,547.0 |
262,348.0 |
662,199.0 |
3,007,454.0 |
457,236.0 |
1958 |
4,906,015.0 |
4,569,722.0 |
1,078,807.0 |
334,543.0 |
744,264.0 |
3,490,915.0 |
336,293.0 |
1959 |
7,122,610.0 |
6,693,510.0 |
1,340,253.0 |
465,981.0 |
874,272.0 |
5,353,257.0 |
429,100.0 |
1960 |
8,080,015.0 |
7,551,746.0 |
1,872,509.0 |
590,374.0 |
1,282,135.0 |
5,679,237.0 |
528,269.0 |
1961 |
9,607,023.0 |
9,058,623.0 |
2,477,944.0 |
814,513.0 |
1,663,431.0 |
6,580,679.0 |
548,400.0 |
1962 |
11,069,059.0 |
10,289,947.0 |
3,004,795.0 |
986,314.0 |
2,018,481.0 |
7,285,152.0 |
779,112.0 |
1963 |
13,662,879.0 |
12,494,611.0 |
3,507,903.0 |
1,151,753.0 |
2,356,150.0 |
8,986,708.0 |
1,168,268.0 |
1964 |
15,323,870.0 |
14,225,354.0 |
3,874,452.0 |
1,303,000.0 |
2,571,452.0 |
10,350,902.0 |
1,098,516.0 |
1965 |
15,745,852.0 |
14,614,249.0 |
4,247,230.0 |
1,435,469.0 |
2,811,761.0 |
10,367,019.0 |
1,131,603.0 |
1966 |
16,178,640.0 |
15,320,334.0 |
4,660,247.0 |
1,579,181.0 |
3,081,066.0 |
10,660,087.0 |
858,306.0 |
1967 |
17,149,186.0 |
16,529,099.0 |
4,631,390.0 |
1,845,847.0 |
2,785,543.0 |
11,897,709.0 |
620,087.0 |
1968 |
16,525,038.0 |
15,921,208.0 |
4,781,062.0 |
1,840,562.0 |
2,940,500.0 |
11,140,146.0 |
603,830.0 |
1969 |
16,309,900.0 |
15,640,888.0 |
4,644,890.0 |
1,944,773.0 |
2,700,117.0 |
10,995,998.0 |
669,012.0 |
1970 |
15,863,385.0 |
15,338,937.0 |
4,900,798.0 |
1,925,908.0 |
2,974,890.0 |
10,438,139.0 |
524,448.0 |
1971 |
16,153,756.0 |
15,542,512.0 |
5,123,171.0 |
1,980,141.0 |
3,143,030.0 |
10,419,341.0 |
611,244.0 |
1972 |
17,097,951.0 |
16,495,895.0 |
5,547,696.0 |
2,186,937.0 |
3,360,759.0 |
10,948,199.0 |
602,056.0 |
1973 |
17,574,486.0 |
16,800,153.0 |
5,581,429.0 |
2,232,006.0 |
3,349,423.0 |
11,218,724.0 |
774,333.0 |
1974 |
18,176,457.0 |
17,410,128.0 |
6,175,240.0 |
2,387,681.0 |
3,787,559.0 |
11,234,888.0 |
766,329.0 |
1975 |
19,859,548.0 |
19,038,818.0 |
6,729,708.0 |
2,588,427.0 |
4,141,281.0 |
12,309,110.0 |
820,730.0 |
1976 |
21,616,382.0 |
20,779,658.0 |
7,619,332.0 |
2,767,454.0 |
4,851,878.0 |
13,160,326.0 |
836,724.0 |
1977 |
24,817,577.0 |
23,450,377.0 |
8,514,115.0 |
3,258,640.0 |
5,255,475.0 |
14,936,262.0 |
1,367,200.0 |
1978 |
27,140,849.0 |
25,845,137.0 |
9,606,758.0 |
3,698,604.0 |
5,908,154.0 |
16,238,379.0 |
1,295,712.0 |
1979 |
29,620,597.0 |
28,145,142.0 |
10,535,005.0 |
4,192,665.0 |
6,342,340.0 |
17,610,137.0 |
1,475,455.0 |
1980 |
31,386,095.0 |
29,830,432.0 |
11,597,378.0 |
4,674,156.0 |
6,923,222.0 |
18,233,054.0 |
1,555,663.0 |
1981 |
34,589,634.0 |
33,103,924.0 |
12,212,780.0 |
5,041,295.0 |
7,171,485.0 |
20,891,144.0 |
1,485,710.0 |
1982 |
37,822,363.0 |
36,432,589.0 |
13,022,185.0 |
5,481,605.0 |
7,540,580.0 |
23,410,404.0 |
1,389,774.0 |
1983 |
40,009,032.0 |
38,711,537.0 |
14,253,525.0 |
6,260,131.0 |
7,993,394.0 |
24,458,012.0 |
1,297,495.0 |
1984 |
44,012,149.0 |
42,224,865.0 |
14,978,773.0 |
7,067,359.0 |
7,911,414.0 |
27,246,092.0 |
1,787,284.0 |
1985 |
50,180,369.0 |
48,359,565.0 |
16,133,421.0 |
7,818,682.0 |
8,314,739.0 |
32,226,144.0 |
1,820,804.0 |
1986 |
52,951,181.0 |
51,412,364.0 |
16,502,199.0 |
8,153,076.0 |
8,349,123.0 |
34,910,165.0 |
1,538,817.0 |
1987 |
57,099,656.0 |
55,253,693.0 |
17,940,521.0 |
8,942,425.0 |
8,998,096.0 |
37,313,172.0 |
1,845,963.0 |
1988 |
58,826,512.0 |
56,769,425.0 |
18,650,145.0 |
9,473,618.0 |
9,176,527.0 |
38,119,280.0 |
2,057,087.0 |
1989 |
63,571,605.0 |
61,406,484.0 |
20,765,531.0 |
10,602,011.0 |
10,163,520.0 |
40,640,953.0 |
2,165,121.0 |
1990 |
65,831,189.0 |
63,559,471.0 |
21,622,364.0 |
11,285,593.0 |
10,336,771.0 |
41,937,107.0 |
2,271,718.0 |
1991 |
64,147,951.0 |
61,295,152.0 |
23,968,377.0 |
12,170,794.0 |
11,797,583.0 |
37,326,775.0 |
2,852,799.0 |
1992 |
68,577,184.0 |
65,592,590.0 |
24,490,598.0 |
12,489,864.0 |
12,000,734.0 |
41,101,992.0 |
2,984,594.0 |
1993 |
70,414,697.0 |
67,314,025.0 |
26,890,497.0 |
13,399,121.0 |
13,491,376.0 |
40,423,528.0 |
3,100,672.0 |
1994 |
69,450,776.0 |
67,235,390.0 |
27,411,209.0 |
13,523,476.0 |
13,887,733.0 |
39,824,181.0 |
2,215,386.0 |
1995 |
70,442,935.0 |
68,186,798.0 |
28,434,396.0 |
13,877,031.0 |
14,557,365.0 |
39,752,402.0 |
2,256,137.0 |
1996 |
69,399,164.0 |
67,653,047.0 |
28,259,764.0 |
14,464,035.0 |
13,795,729.0 |
39,393,283.0 |
1,746,117.0 |
1997 |
71,753,430.0 |
69,826,779.0 |
29,365,289.0 |
14,941,892.0 |
14,423,397.0 |
40,461,490.0 |
1,926,651.0 |
1998 |
73,913,988.0 |
72,100,724.0 |
30,922,269.0 |
15,613,012.0 |
15,309,257.0 |
41,178,455.0 |
1,813,264.0 |
1999 |
77,386,368.0 |
75,340,622.0 |
33,527,514.0 |
17,443,653.0 |
16,083,861.0 |
41,813,108.0 |
2,045,746.0 |
2000 |
80,403,169.0 |
75,910,322.0 |
38,470,630.0 |
19,569,849.0 |
18,900,781.0 |
37,439,692.0 |
4,492,847.0 |
2001 |
88,562,348.0 |
84,492,520.0 |
44,713,736.0 |
21,958,136.0 |
22,755,600.0 |
39,778,784.0 |
4,069,828.0 |
2002 |
98,013,347.0 |
93,708,604.0 |
48,006,711.0 |
23,668,345.0 |
24,338,366.0 |
45,701,893.0 |
4,304,743.0 |
2003 |
107,793,778.0 |
103,527,260.0 |
51,071,843.0 |
24,751,441.0 |
26,320,402.0 |
52,455,417.0 |
4,266,518.0 |
2004 |
116,068,604.0 |
112,074,452.0 |
53,357,811.0 |
26,120,663.0 |
27,237,148.0 |
58,716,641.0 |
3,994,152.0 |
2005 |
122,618,991.0 |
118,847,864.0 |
53,738,245.0 |
27,140,335.0 |
26,597,910.0 |
65,109,619.0 |
3,771,127.0 |
2006 |
123,854,731.0 |
121,729,949.0 |
53,535,650.0 |
26,584,592.0 |
26,951,058.0 |
68,194,299.0 |
2,124,782.0 |
2007 |
129,431,246.0 |
127,262,861.0 |
54,093,565.0 |
26,865,786.0 |
27,227,779.0 |
73,169,296.0 |
2,168,385.0 |
2008 |
129,049,527.3 |
127,105,666.3 |
53,893,678.0 |
27,153,966.0 |
26,739,712.0 |
73,211,988.3 |
1,943,861.0 |
2009 |
144,758,067.3 |
141,090,055.2 |
63,691,871.9 |
32,879,356.9 |
30,812,515.0 |
77,398,183.4 |
3,668,012.0 |
2010 |
146,967,799.9 |
140,354,521.1 |
63,727,973.3 |
31,795,342.2 |
31,932,631.1 |
76,626,547.9 |
6,613,278.8 |
2011 |
139,661,552.1 |
135,490,856.7 |
58,023,706.0 |
29,313,593.3 |
28,710,112.8 |
77,467,150.6 |
4,170,695.4 |
2012 |
140,629,126.9 |
138,483,451.3 |
61,945,193.6 |
30,958,892.9 |
30,986,300.7 |
76,538,257.7 |
2,145,675.6 |
2013 |
127,291,127.6 |
125,385,978.9 |
59,198,210.0 |
29,779,403.8 |
29,418,806.2 |
66,187,768.9 |
1,905,148.7 |
2014 |
132,496,344.7 |
130,278,703.1 |
62,908,811.2 |
31,587,903.1 |
31,320,908.1 |
67,369,891.9 |
2,217,641.6 |
2015 |
131,398,209.6 |
128,573,154.4 |
63,645,313.2 |
31,527,071.3 |
32,118,241.8 |
64,927,841.2 |
2,825,055.2 |
2016 |
117,481,394.7 |
115,040,405.4 |
66,722,364.6 |
32,286,577.8 |
34,435,786.7 |
48,318,040.9 |
2,440,989.2 |
2017 (preliminary) |
121,310,222.9 |
118,294,240.2 |
66,504,111.3 |
32,331,732.9 |
34,172,378.4 |
51,790,128.9 |
3,015,982.7 |