Two Giant U.S. Telescopes Are Threatened by Federal Funding Cap
The Thirty Meter Telescope and Giant Magellan Telescope might need to compete for survival in the face of federal spending limits
An artist rendering of the Thirty Meter Telescope, planned for construction on Maunakea in Hawaii.
TMT International Observatory/Courtesy of NAOJ with the cooperation of Mitsubishi Electric
US astronomers might have only one huge ground-based telescope in their future, rather than the two that many had hoped for.
Two consortiums of research institutions and other funders have been planning for years to build the Giant Magellan Telescope on a mountaintop in Chile and the Thirty Meter Telescope on the Hawaiian mountain Maunakea. Construction has started in Chile, but only off-site work has been underway for the Thirty Meter Telescope because of concerns from Native Hawaiians about building on Maunakea, which they consider sacred.
Both projects are backed by international groups of funders, but neither has the full amount secured to complete its telescope. The Giant Magellan Telescope is expected to cost US$2.54 billion. Representatives for the Thirty Meter Telescope have not released a final cost estimate, saying it depends on factors such as scheduling, but other experts say it is likely to be at least $3 billion.
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Many astronomers had hoped that the US National Science Foundation (NSF) would contribute money to cover the funding shortfall. But last week the National Science Board, which oversees the NSF, recommended that the agency cap its giant-telescope contributions at $1.6 billion. The board also signalled that it was reluctant for the NSF to spend even that much,…
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