TMT construction begins Monday 15 July

[Durian Fiend]

ground-based telescopes can do the job of the JWST or Hubble for a much lower cost and can be maintained and upgraded.

As TomK mentioned above, ground based telescopes can be maintained.
An example of attempting something as (relatively) simple as raising the orbit of a space telescope is happening right now.  The satellite that was launched for the rescue mission is spinning out of control, even before it could reach the Swift Telescope.  Hopefully they can still recover control and complete the mission.  Stay tuned.

If it was a problem on a Mauna Kea telescope, you drive a truck and repair crew up there.

https://arstechnica.com/space/2026/07/re...-in-orbit/

Our telescope expert in residence has the following to say about this:

"You might recall that I've mentioned many times on PW that I didn't believe the TMT would ever be built on Mauna Kea. My opinion was always based on politics, not science, because it's obvious Mauna Kea is the best place for the TMT. If it moves to another site, it will lose ~30% of its capability (i.e., mid-infrared). 


The JWST is doing some fantastic work in space but has a limited lifespan and, unlike the Hubble, cannot be repaired or refueled; it's a one-off project that will eventually just float around in space. Before that happens, the ELT in Chile will be matching and likely outperforming the JWST. The TMT would have been doing the same if it were being built on Mauna Kea, but that didn't happen and certainly won't be competitive as a mid-infrared telescope compared to the JWST and the ELT.

There is now a very generous offer from Spain to pay a large proportion of the costs if the TMT moves to La Palma in the Canary Islands. I don't know how realistic it is that this will happen, but it wlll be hard for the TMT partners to ignore. 

https://www.techtimes.com/articles/322067/20260729/spain-bids-11-billion-win-thirty-meter-telescope-away-mauna-kea.htm

There are a lot of decisions the TMT partners will need to make. Give up on Mauna Kea? Take the loss of 30% of its scientific potential? Keep fighting a losing battle to build on Mauna Kea?"