23 July 2025 year Diana Morant, Minister of Science, of innovation and universities in Spain, announced, that the Spanish government is ready to allocate to 400 millions of euros (471 A million US dollars) To rescue the Thirty Meter Telescope project (TMT), which is threatened by cancellation due to a decline in funding in the US.
Prerequisites and TMT problems
The TMT telescope with a 30-meter mirror was planned to be built on Mauna Kea in Hawaii, which is an ideal place for observations. It is already located there 13 telescopes, including the Keck Observatory and the Very Long Baseline Array. However, the project encountered difficulties: with 2014 In 2008, the construction was hampered by protests from local Hawaiians, for whom Mauna Kea is a sacred place. IN 2015 and 2019 For years, protesters blocked access to the summit, and in December 2015 In 2010, the Hawaii Supreme Court invalidated building permits due to procedural violations.
The biggest blow came with the budget proposal for 2026 The financial year (FY26) Trump administration for the National Science Foundation (NSF), which funds the development of TMT. The budget calls for a complete end to TMT funding, giving preference to another large telescope - the Giant Magellan Telescope (GMT) in Chile, which can proceed to the final design phase without additional investments. However, even for GMT funding does not guarantee the completion of construction, that questioned the future of both projections.
Spain's proposal
Amid these challenges, Spain has proposed moving the TMT to the island of La Palma in the Canary Islands, to the Roque de los Muchachos Observatory, where the Gran Telescopio Canarias is already located (GTC) – the world's largest telescope with a 10.4-meter mirror. The Spanish government is ready to invest 400 millions of euros, which is a significant part of the estimated cost of the project (3,9 A billion dollars of US), For the construction and long -term operation of a telescope, that will also facilitate the creation of highly skilled jobs and the economic development of the island.
La Palm was chosen as a backup platform for TMT still in 2016 year after protests in Hawaii. Raphael Rebolo, Director of the Institute of Astrophysics of the Canary Islands (IAC), confirmed, what 25 July 2025 TMT consortium applied for a building permit in the municipality of Puntagorda. Expected, that all necessary permits will be received by the end of September 2025 year. Spain's Science Minister Pedro Duke is still in 2019 the year expressed the support of the project, emphasizing the country's readiness to provide all the necessary resources.
Benefits and Disadvantages of La Palm
La Palma, Located at a height 2250 city, is less favorable for observations compared to Mauna Keaa (4050 city), Due to more water vapor in the atmosphere, which absorbs medium infrared radiation. This can complicate the study of exoplanets, formation of galaxies and cosmology, requiring improved adaptive optics and careful planning of observations. However, the location in the Northern Hemisphere allows the TMT to observe objects, unavailable to telescopes in the Southern Hemisphere, such as the European Extremely Large Telescope (E-ELT) and GMT in Chile, providing a unique contribution to global astronomy.
Transferring TMT to La Palm can also reduce tension with the local communities of Hawaii, who consider Mauna-Kea a sacred place. At the same time, environmental organizations, such as Ben Magec and Ecologistas en Acción, expressed their willingness to challenge the construction in La Palma due to the potential impact on the local ecosystem.
Meaning for astronomy
TMT with a 492-segment mirror diameter 30 city, developed by a consortium with the participation of the United States, Japan, of Canada, China and India, was to become one of the three super-large telescopes (along with GMT and E-ELT), which will provide unprecedented resolution for space exploration. His potential transfer to La Palma could save the project, but will require additional efforts to adapt to less favorable conditions. Success depends on quick approvals and international support, in particular from partners, who may be concerned about the change of location.
Source: https://www.space.com