Observational time is usually allocated through a proposal process. Researchers submit detailed proposals to the managing bodies of telescopes, outlining their scientific goals, the importance of their research, and the specific instrumentation required. Committees of experts review these proposals, and time is awarded based on scientific merit, feasibility, and potential impact. Major observatories like the Hubble Space Telescope and the Atacama Large Millimeter Array have well-established processes for this.
