The National Science Foundation has until September to decide on advancing the Thirty Meter Telescope to the final design stage. The TMT is competing against a telescope project in Chile for limited NSF funding.
The NSF initially had plans to financially support two "extremely large telescopes" with apertures between about 25 and 100 meters: the Thirty Meter Telescope planned for Maunakea and the Giant Magellan Telescope planned in Chile.
But the price tag on each is now approaching $3 billion.
In February, the National Science Board announced that it would place a $1.6 billion cap on the foundation's extremely large telescope investment.
NSF Director Sethuraman Panchanathan said at the May board meeting that the next step is to convene an expert panel to analyze each project.
“I want to be very clear that this is not a decision to construct any telescopes,” Panchanathan said. “This is simply part of a process of gathering critical information to inform my decision-making on advancing either project to the final design stage."
He said the panel will be asked to comment on a series of topics for each project through a reverse site visit.
“These topics are expected to include progress since the preliminary design reviews, partnerships and resources, risks and risk mitigation, government models, scientific complementarity to the European ELT, opportunities for early career scientist access, and engagement of the public,” Panchanathan said.
The panel will also consider the impact of supporting a project on agency resources in the design, construction, and operation phases.
Panchanathan said the panel is still being formed, but that a report will be sent to the NSF by the end of September.
