Ladakh to house the world’s biggest telescope
The design for Thirty Meter Telescope
Local Press Co Snippet:
1. In a major scientific development, Ladakh will serve as home base for the largest telescope project in the world, called ‘Thirty Metre Telescope’ (TMT).
2. The TMT project is a partnership effort of several countries and India has a 10 percent investment of $212 million (approx. Rs 140 crores). The scientists at Indian Institute of Astrophysics (IIA) Bengaluru and Inter-University Centre for Astronomy and Astrophysics (IUCAA), Pune, have already been working on the project for three years.
3. Earlier, TMT was going to be installed in Hawaii at Mauna Kea. However, problem arose when the locals protested against the construction of the project given the proposed land holds religious value to them.
4. The matter went to the Hawaii Supreme court whose order came out in favour of the locals. Hence, scientists began to look at other locations, one of which included Hanle Village in Ladakh.
5. Reportedly, an international inspection team will visit Ladakh within the next few weeks. If the plans work out, this will be another significant achievement for India after ISRO’s successful launch of IRNSS-1G last friday.
