(In comparison, the famed Hubble telescope … During the 8- to 10-year construction timeline, TMT will create about 300 local and specialized construction jobs. “I think we were surprised that these new voices appeared a couple of years ago,” TMT’s Executive Director, Ed Stone, told Hawaii News Now back in 2016. “Which were not there during the six years of activity that we’ve had talking to the community.”. The TMT will be a much larger and more extensive facility than any observatory that’s come before it. Funding approval would trigger the creation of a federal environmental impact statement and National Historic Preservation Act Section 106 consultation, a process of two years or more. Maunakea has some of the clearest views of the skies in the world, and it also is one of the most sacred places to Native Hawaiians. But this year, many are feeling defeated and forgotten about. They picked Mauna Kea in 2009, because it’s above about 40 percent of the Earth’s atmosphere. Gov. “Wakea,”sometimes translated as “Sky Father,” is considered the father of the Hawaiian people. “The date for construction to begin has arrived.”. It’s also likely based on a myth associated with the often snow-covered summit: that Maunakea literally means “white mountain.”. Mauna Kea was announced as TMT's preferred site in 2009. “We’re not against TMT. In the face of demonstrations and legal threats to the project, TMT officials had to start considering other options. Under the proposal, the foundation would contribute $850 million each to the Thirty Meter Telescope and the Giant Magellan Telescope. David Ige and the Thirty Meter Telescope International Observatory (TIO) announce that construction of the Thirty Meter Telescope (TMT) will begin the week of July 15, 2019. © 2017 - TMT International Observatory. For more information about TMT Hawaii, please visit. “This is not an oil pipeline,” Ige said. In April 2013, the Hawaiian Board of Land and Natural Resources (BLNR) granted a permit to Thirty Meter Telescope (TMT) project to build and operate the next-generation observatory on Mauna Kea. Once TMT selected Mauna Kea, the project began a regulatory and community process for approval. First on sky test using 40 segments at prime focus completed, First on sky test using 40 segments at Nasmyth focus completed. David Ige and the Thirty Meter Telescope International Observatory (TIO)announce that construction of the Thirty Meter Telescope (TMT) will begin the week of July 15, 2019. As the issue becomes more emotionally charged, there's no telling what we will see unfold in the coming days and weeks. While the state Land Department is in charge of overseeing conservation land, like Mauna Kea, the University of Hawaii has been leasing the land for their astronomy program since 1967. Developers for the largest, the controversial Thirty Meter Telescope, apply for a permit to build in the summit conservation district from the BLNR in October 2010. In March of 2015, the state gave the project the notice to proceed on construction, but later that month, demonstrators blocked the road to the summit and arrests were made. Copyright 2019 Hawaii News Now. The last segment is fully ready and ready to be integrated to its control system. Technology or tradition? Mauna Kea is said to be the meeting point between sky and earth ― a temple built by the divine, and a source of Hawaii’s ties to creation itself. Hawaii Governor David Ige is a supporter of the project. The next year, Gov. But now enters the Thirty Meter Telescope, a proposed observatory with an extremely large telescope that has become the source of controversy over its planned location. Thirty Meter Telescope will supply much needed employment opportunities and possibilities for businesses to assist TMT’s development, operations and maintenance. The Keck telescope was the first segmented mirror telescope. The parts of the new rules empowering Mauna Kea rangers to issue citations to violators are already in effect, Chun said. Thirty Meter Telescope. Cultural practitioners who say they stand in protection of Mauna Kea, as a sacred Native Hawaiian site, have been protesting telescope development on the mountain since it first began in the 1960s. Power is generated on site and in its final form. The secondary mirror is built and sent to the observatory, M1 cleaning system ready to ship to the observatory, The control system for the primary mirror is built and ready for integration. On the other, a group who says they are protecting a Hawaiian culture that is under constant attack, as well as the religious freedoms of Native Hawaiians. All Rights Reserved. Under the proposal, the foundation would contribute $850 million each to the Thirty Meter Telescope and the Giant Magellan Telescope. More legal challenges to TMT started at the Hawaii Supreme Court in August. Enclosure base is complete and ready to accept the upper part of the dome. Enclosure is completed and ready to be shipped from Canada. The mirror at that facility is made up of 36 segments, and they’re all locked together to make a single surface. In June, the state issued the project the “notice to proceed.”. The telescope enclosure started to be installed on the its base at the TMT site. Those lasted into 2017. The US TMT Science Working Group (SWG) and the Thirty Meter Telescope project office have compiled this page of information about the observatory, its planned instrumentation, the partnership, and potential US national participation in TMT.The FAQ was originally compiled for a community survey carried out by the SWG in September-October 2014. During the 8- to 10-year construction timeline, TMT will create about 300 local and specialized construction jobs. Then came the announcement that construction will begin July 15th. The very next day, prayer altars that had been erected on the mountain were taken down. Linda Lingle signed the environmental impact statement. The Palomar 200 inch (5.1 meter) telescope dedicated - largest telescope in the world until 1976 48 inch (1.2 meter) wide-field Schmidt telescope takes its first … The Members of TIO are Caltech, the University of California, the National Institutes of Natural Sciences of Japan, the National Astronomical Observatories of the Chinese Academy of Sciences, the Department of Science and Technology of India, and the National Research Council (Canada); the Association of Universities for Research in Astronomy (AURA) is a TIO Associate. Those events also inspired people to protest another telescope project on Haleakala on Maui. On one side, a telescope ― with hopes of revealing the origins of life itself, along with unknown scientific treasures. All rights reserved. Scientist say it’s big enough that it can help scientists make the next leap in terms of our understanding of the physical universe, while not being so big as to be unbuildable. 420 Waiakamilo Road, Suite 205Honolulu, HI 96817Main (808) 847-3246News (808) 847-1112. The state has been standing ready for some time to open the road to allow the Thirty-Meter Telescope International Observatory (TIO) to begin construction of TMT. But the telescope controversy has also led to broader discussions about both respect for indigenous rights ― and the pursuit of scientific progress. By comparison, the TMT requires roughly 400 segments. It was kapu ― a forbidden place ― for all but the highest chiefs and priests. So what makes this telescope, with its billion-dollar price tag, so special? But historians say the single-word version is actually short for Mauna a Wakea, the mountain's original name. Yet despite the observatories, and the fact that it receives thousands of visitors every year, the mountain remains a special place for native Hawaiians and many others. “We have followed a 10-year process to get to this point,” Governor Ige said. Consisting of 492 segmented mirrors, the telescope would eventually be branded nine times more powerful than its nearest rival, the Keck telescope ― which is also located atop Mauna Kea. “You already have 13 telescopes, and now you’re going to put a giant one up there. Thirty Meter Telescope will supply much needed employment opportunities and possibilities for businesses to assist TMT’s development, operations and maintenance. Major funding has been provided by the Gordon & Betty Moore Foundation. The crisp, clean air ― and lack of light pollution ― already allows 13 telescopes at the top of the mountain to view some of the universe’s most-distant galaxies. Researchers with the Hawaii Institute of Marine Biology were able to extract DNA from mucus that the shark left behind on Warren’s surfboard. “This is 100% about the state and U.H. Telescopes generate money for the big island, with millions of dolla… “It is also a place where some of our ancestors lay at rest.”. The Observatory Enclosure is built on site. In March of 2016, they selected La Palma in the Canary Islands as an alternative site, as a contested case hearing got underway. April 12, 2013 The university’s agreement with the DLNR allows them to sub-lease it to others. Go do your science, but don’t do it on our sacred mountain.”. From its base on the ocean floor to its summit above the clouds, Mauna Kea measures more than 32,000 feet ― technically making it the highest mountain in the world. Construction is currently stalled due to protestors blocking the Mauna Kea Access Road leading to the mountain. For the most part, the crowded nature of Mauna Kea's summit is what's behind the conflict. This is the beginning of another Waikiki up our sacred mountain.”. The TMT International Observatory LLC (TIO), a non-profit organization, was established in May 2014 to carry out the construction and operation phases of the TMT Project. Two projects with US leadership plan to build and operate ELTs in the next decade, one in the Northern hemisphere (the Thirty Meter Telescope, 30-meter in diameter), and the other in the Southern hemisphere (the Giant Magellan Telescope, 25-meter in diameter). A Gray Media Group, Inc. Station - © 2002-2020 Gray Television, Inc. ‘Conflict on Mauna Kea,’ a timeline exploring the history of tension over the Thirty Meter Telescope. And the climate is stable, dry and cold. Anti-Thirty Meter Telescope demonstrations take place nationwide. “It is a telescope, to look into the very origins of life and the universe.”. Its design calls for a dome that’s 180 feet tall, about the same height as Aloha Tower on Oahu. “It should go to a place where the people of that place want it.”. Since mid-July 2019, Native Hawaiian protesters have been blocking the construction of the Thirty Meter Telescope (TMT) on Maunakea (also spelled Mauna Kea), the highest mountain in Hawaii. The primary mirror phasing system is fully integrated to the observatory and ready for operations. The TMT, a ground-based, large segmented mirror reflecting telescope grew from astronomers' prioritization in 2000 of a thirty-meter telescope to be built within the decade. The Board of the Thirty Meter Telescope selected Maunakea in July 2009 after a rigorous five-year campaign spanning the entire globe that measured virtually every atmospheric feature that might affect the performance of the telescope. By Lorin Eleni Gill – Reporter, Pacific Business News . But the Hawaii Supreme Court overruled all legal opposition to the project in October of last year. The last segment is polished and sent off for ion beam figuring. July 10, 2019 Gov. OHA trustee Dan Ahuna has said this debate is not about a single telescope. Plans for the telescope’s construction have opened up Pandora’s Box, and many expect demonstrators to try and halt the project. In 2008, the TMT corporation selected two semi-finalists for further study, Mauna Kea and Cerro Amazones. M2 cleaning system ready to ship to the observatory, The coating chamber is built and ready to ship to the observatory, The fabrication of the telescope structure is completed in Japan and ready to ship to the observatory, The last segment blank is completed and sent for polishing, M3 cleaning system ready to ship to the observatory, The coating chamber for the secondary and tertiary mirrors is ready to be shipped to the observatory. We’re not against them building it. The public opinion poll conducted in March 2020 by Ward Research, Inc. shows that 61 percent of Hawaii residents support moving ahead with construction of TMT, with 32 percent opposed. HONOLULU, Hawaii (HawaiiNewsNow) - We’ve been here before: a divisive debate, putting an undeniably unique place in the conflicting cross-hairs of technology vs. tradition. Gov. What we’re against is them building it in this particular area, on this particular mountain,” said activist Kahookahi Kanuha, during a 2015 protest. July 12, 2019 at 5:20 PM HST - Updated July 12 at 5:24 PM, City holds final food distribution event of the year at Aloha Stadium. The holidays are usually a time for happiness and gratefulness. Scientists at the University of California and Caltech began the development of a design that would eventually become known as the TMT. Mauna Kea is likely based on an American English spelling variation, instead of traditional Hawaiian. Thirty Meter Telescope (TMT) 30.0 655 492 × 1.45 m hexagonal f /1 4050 2027 Construction approved at Mauna Kea Obs. Ige issues emergency proclamation for the County of Hawai'i amid Mauna Kea protests. failing the mauna.”. In contemporary use, we often see Mauna Kea used as two words ― but many Hawaiian language experts actually believe it’s just one. In 2014, a circuit judge ruled in favor of the telescope in an early legal challenge, and the summit site was blessed in October. Opposition to the project began shortly after the announcement of Mauna Kea as the chosen site out of 5 proposals. For much of the indigenous population in Hawaii, sacredness is not just a concept ― it’s a feeling of connectedness with nature and spirit, particularly when it comes to Mauna Kea. Demonstrators blocked access to Mauna Kea's summit to prevent construction of the Thirty Meter Telescope from July through December. The challenges eventually led to the construction permit being revoked, when the justices found that the state’s permitting process was flawed. It's called the Thirty Meter Telescope, or TMT for short, because the primary mirror of the telescope is 30 meters across. Maui and Kaua'i join in on TMT demonstrations. In July 2009, Mauna Kea was selected. The summit is located roughly 14,000 feet above sea level, which makes the conditions ideal for observatories like TMT. “To many, it is a sacred and religious place. “This is not about Hawaiian culture vs. science,” Ahuna said. In 2003, TMT officials started an extensive five-year scout of the sites at Mauna Kea, Chile and Mexico. Tensions over the telescopes atop Mauna Kea are nothing new. Today’s problem of this Thirty Meter Telescope (TMT) that was planned in the year of 2012 with the intentions of having the world’s largest telescope to be built on Maunakea has caused physical, political, religion, and land issues that concerned the Hawaiian people why this telescope … The Observatory facility building is complete. 5.5K likes. The tertiary mirror is built and ready to be shipped to the observatory. But how you interpret that phrase depends on which position you align with. The phasing system for the primary mirror is completed and ready for shipment to the observatory. What is sacred, against what is scientific ― and which is worth more to you? David Ige and the Thirty Meter Telescope International Observatory (TIO)announce that construction of the Thirty Meter Telescope (TMT) will begin the week of July 15, 2019. It is a temple,” said Native Hawaiian activist Hinaleimoana Wong-Kalu. In 2000, astronomers began considering the potential of new, state-of-the-art telescopes as large as 30 meters in diameter. Early Universe, Galaxy Formation and the IGM, Stars, Stellar Physics and the Interstellar Medium, Multi-Object Diffraction-limited High-Resolution Infrared Spectrograph (MODHIS), TMT International Science Development Teams, https://www.maunakeaandtmt.org/get-the-facts. “We have to draw the lines in the sand, say no, no more already,” telescope opponent Walter Ritte said. Thirty Meter Telescope: a timeline leading up to the Hawaii Supreme Court case. “They were removed because they were located right where TMT is going to be constructed, so they had to be removed,” Hawaii Attorney General Clare Connors said. David Ige and the Thirty Meter Telescope International Observatory (TIO) announce that construction of the Thirty Meter Telescope (TMT) will begin the week of July 15, 2019. And that’s all on top of a structure built to support the dome that stands 25 feet high. Scientists claim the Thirty Meter Telescope will allow us to understand why we are here on this planet, and why the properties of the universe are the way they are. “They think that this is a scientific mountain and they have every right to do what they’re doing and the Hawaiians are saying no this is a sacred mountain. Gov. “They have not listened to the Hawaiian people and the cries that this is a sacred mountain,” said Ritte. Protests against construction have been going on there for decades, and older, existing observatory buildings are easily seen from many parts of the island. Mauna Kea is ranked as one of the best sites on Earth for telescope viewing and is home to 13 other telescopes built at the summit of the mountain, within the Mauna Kea Observatoriesgrounds. Funding approval would trigger the creation of a federal environmental impact statement and National Historic Preservation Act Section 106 consultation, a process of two years or more. One person was arrested in that incident, and we began to see the temperature gauge rise again. The results of a new scientific poll show Hawaii residents continue to support the construction of the Thirty Meter Telescope on Maunakea by a nearly 2-to-1 margin. The Land Board approves UH’s “Comprehensive Management Plan,” a development plan which paves the way for an unlimited number of new telescopes and support structures. In ancient times, the mountain’s summit was considered the realm of the gods. The dome’s diameter measures 216 feet, with a shutter ― the opening for the telescope to peer through ― measuring about 100 feet wide. The Thirty Meter Telescope (TMT) is scheduled to begin scientific operations in 2021 on Mauna Kea, Hawaii. Observatory is completed and ready for science!! 2009. Primary mirror with 492 segments aligned and phased on sky with APS, M2 and M3. In April 2013, the Hawaiian Board of Land and Natural Resources (BLNR) granted a permit to Thirty Meter Telescope (TMT) project to build and operate the next-generation observatory on Mauna Kea. ‘Conflict on Mauna Kea,’ a timeline exploring the history of tension over the Thirty Meter Telescope By HNN Staff | July 12, 2019 at 5:20 PM HST - Updated July 12 at 5:24 PM The cultural clash over TMT began dominating the headlines in 2015, after a large protest halted construction by preventing access to the site, but tensions over project date back further than that. Demonstrators said the project could damage land considered sacred by some Native Hawaiians. And Mexico and M3 found that the state’s permitting process was flawed the face of demonstrations and legal threats the. Of our ancestors lay at rest.” project in October of last year Kea, Chile and Mexico, and expect! But historians say the single-word version is actually short for Mauna a Wakea the! 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