Congressional leaders have approved a $950,000 federal appropriation to Sacramento State to help in the construction of a Space and Science Center.

This $8 million project will include an observatory, planetarium, hands-on science exploration sections and laboratories for astronomy research. The funds appropriated to the university will expand its partnership with NASA and will pay for multiple solar and astronomical telescopes, observatory domes and large lab servers.

Sac State was awarded the money over UC Davis, which hoped to use the nearly $1 million for its food safety and defense research center.

“This facility will further enhance Sacramento State’s leadership, which already partners with NASA scientists on engineering and astrophysics research projects,” said Congresswoman Doris Matsui in a university press release.

Matsui helped ensure the money to Sac State.

Sac State received $500,000 for the project through last year’s federal budget. The university now has totaled $1,450,000 for the center.