How does discovering new planets relate to government?

Each week in my government class I have to write a summary on an article that relates to government. This week I wrote one on astronomers discovering four planets outside of our solar system. How does this relate to local, state, or federal government?

I can't think of any possible way to link the two. The answer above about NASA is wrong, because, as far as I know, NASA didn't fund this research, nor did any other government agency.

Well, the federal government funds the NASA program which discovered those planets.