Thirty Meter Telescope

The Conversation spoke to John De Fries, executive director of the Maunakea Stewardship and Oversight Authority, about the National Science Foundation's cuts to the proposed Thirty Meter Telescope on Maunakea.

The National Science Foundation's decision to cut funds for the Thirty Meter Telescope planned for Maunakea on Hawaiʻi Island is a setback for the project. The Conversation talked to Hawaiʻi County Mayor Kimo Alameda and two community members about their reactions to the latest development.

The Thirty Meter Telescope planned for Maunakea on Hawaiʻi Island has an uncertain future due to a decision to direct limited funds toward the development of a project in Chile.

The first telescope to be decommissioned from Maunakea, the Caltech Submillimeter Observatory, has been completely removed — and the site has been restored.

Department of Hawaiian Home Lands Director Kali Watson talked with HPR's Catherine Cruz about new Hawaiian homestead community developments, the long waitlist and updates regarding ongoing projects.

Local officials on Maui have voted to oppose a U.S. military proposal to build new telescopes on the summit of Haleakalā volcano. The Maui County Council voted 9-0 on Wednesday to pass a resolution opposing the project.

The Hawaiʻi Supreme Court ruled Thursday that the state broke the law when it took control of the Mauna Kea Access Road on the Big Island and turned it into a state highway before the 2019 Thirty Meter Telescope protests.

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.

Funding for the Thirty Meter Telescope may be in jeopardy following a decision by the National Science Foundation board to place a $1.6 billion budget cap on giant telescope projects.

For the first time in Hawaiʻi's 50-year history with astronomy, observatories will be removed from Maunakea. First up is the Caltech Submillimeter Observatory. Most of the instruments have already been removed, but the telescope's 34-foot diameter primary mirror remains. The Conversation's Russell Subiono has more.