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E-ELT |
Full name: |
The European Extremely Large Telescope |
Mirror: |
42 meters diameter |
Timeline: |
Projected to open in 2018 |
Projected cost: |
€1 billion |
Basic mission: |
largest ground-based optical/near-infrared telescope |
Location: |
Possible sites in Chile, Argentina, Canary Islands, Morocco
|
Online: |
E-ELT Homepage – ESA |
|
GMT |
Full name: |
Giant Magellan Telescope |
Mirror: |
24.5 m |
Timeline: |
2018 completion |
Basic mission: |
Next-generation telescope; large collecting area and high image quality |
Location: |
Las Campanas Observatory in Chile
|
Online: |
GMT Homepage |
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TMT |
Full name: |
Thirty Meter Telescope |
Mirror: |
30 m |
Timeline: |
Expected to start operation in 2017 |
Basic mission: |
Great view of early universe; work with the planned James Webb Space Telescope
|
Online: |
Thirty Meter Telescope Homepage |
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Pan-STARRS |
Full name: |
Panoramic Survey Telescope & Rapid Response System |
Mirror: |
1.8 m each |
Timeline: |
One of four planned systems is built |
Projected cost: |
$100 million |
Basic mission: |
1.4-gigapexel cameras to image entire sky, find “killer” asteroids |
Location: |
Pan-STARRS 1 sits atop Haleakala on the Hawaiian island of Maui |
Online: |
Pan-STARRS Homepage |
|
LSST |
Full name: |
Large Synoptic Survey Telescope |
Mirror: |
8.4-meter mirror, 3.2 gigapixel camera |
Timeline: |
Start operation 2014 |
Basic mission: |
Speed: rapidly scan for asteroids and supernovas |
Location: |
Projected for a Chilean mountaintop |
Online: |
LSST Homepage |
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Gaia |
Full name: |
Gaia |
Timeline: |
2011 launch |
Basic mission: |
Provide 3-D map of galaxy’s stars |
Location: |
Orbit the sun at L2 |
Online: |
Gaia Homepage – ESA |
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JWST |
Full name: |
The James Webb Space Telescope |
Mirror: |
6.5 m |
Timeline: |
Launch set for 2013 |
Projected cost: |
$3.5 billion (could change as fiscal year 2010 budget is finalized) |
Basic mission: |
Use infrared wavelengths to image oldest, most distant objects |
Location: |
This space-based telescope will orbit the sun |
Online: |
JWST Homepage – NASA |
ATST |
Full name: |
Advanced Technology Solar Telescope |
Mirror: |
4-meter aperture |
Timeline: |
Possibly start construction 2010 |
Basic mission: |
Study short-lived features of the sun at a fine scale |
Location: |
Targeted for Haleakala on Maui |
Online: |
ATST Homepage |
ALMA |
|
Full name: |
Atacama Large Millimeter/submillimeter Array |
Mirror: |
66 radio antennas will work together |
Timeline: |
Under construction; begin operations 2012 |
Basic mission: |
Probe the very first stars and galaxies, and directly image planets beyond the solar system
|
Location: |
Atacama Desert in Chile |
Online: |
ALMA Observatory |
|
LISA |
Full name: |
Laser Interferometer Space Antenna |
Mirror: |
Three spacecraft create a 5-million-km interferometer |
Timeline: |
Part of the European Space Agency Cosmic Vision 2015–2025 |
Basic mission: |
Detect and observe gravitational waves (as from black holes) |
Location: |
Orbit the sun |
Online: |
LISA Homepage – NASA |
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