In September, the National Science Foundation (NSF) must make a decision on whether to advance the Thirty Meter Telescope (TMT) to the final design stage. The TMT project is competing with a similar initiative in Chile for limited NSF funding. Initially, the NSF had plans to support two “extremely large telescopes” with apertures between 25 and 100 meters: the TMT in Maunakea and the Giant Magellan Telescope in Chile. However, the cost of each project has now reached nearly $3 billion.
In February, the NSF’s National Science Board announced a $1.6 billion cap on its investment in extremely large telescopes. Sethuraman Panchanathan, director of the NSF, stated at a May board meeting that the next step is to assemble an expert panel to assess each project. This panel will analyze various aspects such as progress since preliminary design reviews, partnerships, risks and mitigation strategies, government models, scientific complementarity with other telescopes, opportunities for early career scientists, and engagement of the public.
Panchanathan clarified that this panel’s purpose is not to make a decision on constructing a telescope but rather to gather critical information to inform the decision-making process on advancing either project to the final design stage. The impact of supporting a project on agency resources during the design, construction and operation phases will also be considered by this panel while it is still being formed. A report is expected to be submitted to the NSF by September’s end.