The National Science Board has recently recommended that the United States invest $1.6 billion in the construction of an “extremely large telescope,” in order to propel American astronomy to new heights. The board has set a deadline of May for the National Science Foundation to choose between two competing proposals for the telescope, amid concerns that American astronomers are at risk of falling behind their European counterparts in telescope technology.
The proposed telescopes in question are the Giant Magellan Telescope in Chile and the Thirty Meter Telescope in Hawaii, both of which are estimated to cost a whopping $3 billion each. However, less than half of the funding needed for these ambitious projects has been raised thus far through international collaborations.
The National Science Board acknowledged that allocating $1.6 billion towards one telescope would absorb a significant portion of the N.S.F.’s usual construction budget. Nevertheless, they emphasized the importance of ensuring that American astronomers remain at the forefront of astronomical discoveries and advancements.
The decision on which proposal to support will have far-reaching implications for the future of American astronomy, as the chosen telescope will likely shape the course of research and exploration for years to come. With time running out to secure funding, the N.S.F. faces a critical choice that will impact the trajectory of American scientific innovation in the years ahead.
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