TMT construction begins Monday 15 July

[ironyak]

Along with that Civil Beat article, Star Advertiser notes how BI Mayor Alameda is going to bat for the TMT, in part to secure the funding it provides to other programs. Comment sections for both articles shows the topic appears as contentious as always. What a strange tangled mess of national funding, local rule, sovereignty, and community opportunities...

https://www.staradvertiser.com/2025/06/0...telescope/
"...However, Hawaii island Mayor Kimo Alameda, who sits on the stewardship authority board, voiced deep disappointment over the Trump administration’s proposed budget cuts, saying the move to defund TMT undermines not only the future of astronomy in Hawaii but also crucial Native Hawaiian economic and educational opportunities.

Alameda framed his support for the telescope squarely around its potential to benefit Hawaiians.

“My whole support of the new version of TMT is to help Hawaiians and to help Hawaii,” he said Saturday. “You take TMT off the table, now we have the status quo because there’s no motivation for decommissioning (other telescopes).”

He explained that keeping TMT “on the table” was about more than just supporting science; the project provided important leverage to negotiate better terms with other observatories on Mauna Kea. He fears the mountain’s stewardship will stagnate and critical revenues that could support Native Hawaiian immersion and charter schools and homestead programs will be lost.

Alameda noted the ripple effect on the island’s economy and the Native Hawaiian community in particular. Construction and operation of TMT represent decades of union jobs for carpenters, electricians, iron workers and laborers, he said.

He also questioned the political logic behind shifting federal astronomy funding from Hawaii to the GMT under construction in Chile.

“Chile is a different country, right? Trump’s all about making America great again,” Alameda said.

He stressed that many Native Hawaiians may not fully grasp how defunding the TMT would be felt across Native Hawaiian programs and institutions relying on that revenue.

With Congress yet to weigh in on the proposed budget, Alameda holds cautious hope that further developments may still support science funding, but he warned that the current trajectory threatens to end one of the nation’s flagship astronomy projects and diminish Hawaii’s role in global scientific innovation." (more at link)

[HereOnThePrimalEdge]

He stressed that many Native Hawaiians may not fully grasp how defunding the TMT would be felt across Native Hawaiian programs and institutions relying on that revenue.

And how unfortunate this wasn’t communicated in a way that it broke through the misinformation spread back in 2016.  Water table!  Lasers!  Military!


I don’t know if it’s possible, but I wonder if a comparison could be made between the money that observatories on Mauna Kea contributed to Native Hawaiian education and jobs, to that donated from anti-TMT organizations since 2016?

[TomK]

The emphasis is now on science that supports the military, and technology which can track, search, and identify.  This was always true to some extent, even more so now.  

Haleakala AMOS had funds for the Star Wars laser tests.  

As someone with a military background once told me when the Hubble space telescope needed repairs - - oh they’ll fix it, you don’t think it’s always looking at stars, do you?

It also looks at galaxies, planets, and nebulae. So your military guy is correct. However, I can't think of one thing the HST can do that would help the military. It can't spy on Earth, nor can it observe satellites, at least not spy satellites or those in Low Earth Orbit (LEO), so I'm not sure what that person was suggesting.

As for the TMT, I posted a long time ago that it would not be built in Hawaii. It's a tremendous shame it won't, so many good-paying jobs and educational opportunities will be lost to Hawaii. As for Hawaii being the best place on the planet for astronomical research, that reputation will also be lost.

[MyManao]

I can't think of one thing the HST can do that would help the military..

The interesting thing about secrets.. and god knows the military likes secrets.. is anyone saying what can and can not happen that isn't privy to the secrets is just being silly.

As in a recent discussion here about what happens at a Pohakuloa.. everyone on PW has no idea what they are doing there anymore than any other person not privy to the secret things they do. The whole conversation was just folks blowin' smoke. How could it be otherwise?

[ironyak]

Edge - And how unfortunate this wasn’t communicated in a way that it broke through the misinformation spread back in 2016. Water table! Lasers! Military!
Do you really think misinformation is what motivated the opposition to the TMT? Always saw this as a "means" and "ends" situation, part of the hyperbole/exaggeration that floats around many grassroots efforts (seen plenty going around online in left-leaning circles for current events as well). Sometimes it seems like movements end up at "whatever gets the job done" (which of course is nothing new).

There is some strange irony though that it's the misinformation powering national politics is what may ultimately end the TMT. As Native Hawaiian activist Hea­lani Sonoda-Pale said “I don’t think the Kanaka Maoli are on his radar ... It just so happens the stars aligned and this was a win for Hawaiians."

Edge - I wonder if a comparison could be made between the money that observatories on Mauna Kea contributed to Native Hawaiian education and jobs, to that donated from anti-TMT organizations since 2016?
You're likely underestimating the overlap of the "anti-TMT organizations" and those directly involved with contributing to "Native Hawaiian education and jobs." It's not just about money, some people are giving their time, labor, and even entire lives to that cause. The observatories are late to the party.

Not trying to rehash, just trying to recognize again how complicated and unique to Hawaii the entire situation is and how each facet involved is a deep well of history and perspective with all sides having many valid claims and concerns. Learning how to better reach conclusions that the large majority of the community can support may be the small silver lining left available at this point.

[HereOnThePrimalEdge]

the overlap of the "anti-TMT organizations" and those directly involved with contributing to "Native Hawaiian education and jobs."

True, there’s some overlap. But it’s probably more Venn diagram than one circle overlaid on the other.

[HereOnThePrimalEdge]

(Gov) Green also addressed concerns over federal funding cuts impacting the Thirty Meter Telescope project, a significant advancement in the state.
“Cutting National Science Foundation dollars for the 30 Meter Telescope, would put our program in deep peril,” Green said.

https://www.kitv.com/news/business/gover...ddb5d.html

[TomK]

The latest about the potential budget cuts for astronomy in Hawaii:

https://www.hawaii.edu/news/2025/06/10/u...dget-cuts/

"Severe budget cuts proposed by the Trump administration to NASA and the National Science Foundation (NSF) are raising major concerns within Hawaiʻi’s astronomy community. Aside from the potential loss of federal funding for the Thirty Meter Telescope, funding reductions could also have wide-ranging implications for the University of Hawaiʻi’s Institute for Astronomy (IfA), its research and its students. IfA is a globally renowned research center and home to one of the world’s largest university-based astronomy programs, with observatories on Maunakea and Haleakalā that have helped make some of the most remarkable cosmic discoveries ranging from exoplanets to distant galactic phenomena."

[randomq]

The irony of sovereignty yahoos getting something they want from this administration...

[leilanidude]

(Gov) Green also addressed concerns over federal funding cuts impacting the Thirty Meter Telescope project, a significant advancement in the state.
“Cutting National Science Foundation dollars for the 30 Meter Telescope, would put our program in deep peril,” Green said.
---------
There is not and has not been a program for the 30 meter telescope, in Hawaii for quite some time.
Our former mayor ruined the possibility.