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Well.....sounds like a good question.
So why ARE they built?
It seems to me a telescope is not really a business that’s supposed to generate a profit, or maybe is it?
Are they mostly taxpayer funded projects used solely for the pure joy of discovery?
Are some of them privately funded? Is TMT privately funded? Who’s funding that one and why? What do they get out of it?
Are they used to research things that may benefit man either now or in the future? I think most people would answer yes to that?
How does someone go about justifying the funding for these huge projects?
I’m asking, not to look for negativity, but more for the why.
I don’t know if maybe I missed some answers to the above in the many thousands of words posted here on Punaweb, or if maybe the questions were never really answered, and that is why I’m posting this.
Puna: Our roosters crow first
Puna: Our roosters crow first
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Why are telescopes built?
Space.
The final frontier...
"I'm at that stage in life where I stay out of discussions. Even if you say 1+1=5, you're right - have fun." - Keanu Reeves
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To understand what's around us, test our scientific theories of how the universe and physics work and maybe gain new insights, see if there is other life out there we could learn from, find new homes for humanity when ours becomes overcrowded, spot dangerous space objects far enough in advance to save lives on Earth, take really beautiful pictures that make people think of things bigger then their day to day problems and politics...
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One reason given: to discover more potentially habitable planets to which we might emigrate.
However, if that were actually true, telescopes would be built on the moon.
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I think a more relevant question is, what benefit is there to having ANOTHER telescope up there, and what is the environmental impact, if any, of having multiple telescopes up there? I remember reading about a telescope up there that was long ago put out of service, but they couldn't remove it due to an accumulation of hydraulic fluid that had to be dealt with first. Was that a fluke/failure of an older design, something that would not be repeated with newer, more modern telescopes?
Aloha
Aloha
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Technology progresses, and the new telescope will give us much more information than the 3-5 old ones that will be removed. In particular, we should be able to gather more information on exoplanets and their atmospheres, which may help us find life or planets capable of sustaining it. The new telescope is designed like a double-hulled ship, with sensors to alert when there is even potential for a spill. I can't speak to the old telescope leaking, aside from the fact they are going through a lot of technical and legal steps to ensure it is handled appropriately.
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what benefit is there to having ANOTHER telescope up there
It's kind of like if you owned a '96 Nissan that gets 12 miles to the gallon, leaks a little oil, and has a cassette player built in the dash but still gets you to the Minute Stop. You check your budget and you're in a position to buy a 2019 electric-hybrid Volvo with airbags and the latest safety features. The Volvo is a safer car, better for you and the environment.
Newer technology telescopes can view things that the older observatories can't.
"I'm at that stage in life where I stay out of discussions. Even if you say 1+1=5, you're right - have fun." - Keanu Reeves
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...Galactic porn. We should be focusing on activities that have real benefits, like asteroid mining, defense. The whole thing could be paying for itself in decades, and it would bootstrap a real presence in space.
***Still can't figure out how to spell 'car' correctly***
***Still can't figure out how to spell 'car' correctly***
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We should be focusing on activities that have real benefits
Like getting off this planet.
The whole thing could be paying for itself in decades
It's not clear that we have enough decades.
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We should be focusing on activities that have real benefits, like asteroid mining, defense.
We are.
I have a friend who’s an attorney. His brother is also an attorney who works at a law firm focused on space mining, claims, legal rights etc. The private space launch companies and mining probe manufacturers are working on the logistics as we speak. My friend gives me updates from time to time, and generally I’m shocked at how far along they are.
In general, space mining is mostly private sector.
Telescopes are more public sector, funded by universities, donations and grants from philanthropists. The two types of space exploration are progressing separately but concurrently.
Foe defense, the existing telescopes on Haleakala & Mauna Kea (and others around the world) operate an early warning asteroid identification program. NASA has prototype asteroid deflection probes in the works. The US Air Force has The X-37B and Space Force, but don’t get me started on the latter.
"I'm at that stage in life where I stay out of discussions. Even if you say 1+1=5, you're right - have fun." - Keanu Reeves
