NASA plans 6 new scopes for Keck

[sarongsong]

August 6, 2005 (http://starbulletin.com/2005/08/06/news/story3.html)
"NASA has decided to build up to six relatively small outrigger telescopes around the two giant Keck telescopes on Mauna Kea...in a process called interferometry, the equivalent of a telescope with a mirror 275 feet across will be created..."
http://starbulletin.com/2005/08/06/news/art3chart.gif

[Russ]

I thought the local indigenous personnel had nixed any more scopes up there. As I recall, it was the planning for these scopes that triggered the whole flap. Did they come to some kind of agreement to allow more scopes?

I thought the local indigenous personnel had nixed any more scopes up there. As I recall, it was the planning for these scopes that triggered the whole flap. Did they come to some kind of agreement to allow more scopes?

They are still protesting but NASA did a second impact study which appears to comply with the law. The scopes will be built on existing parking lots.

[Russ]

I thought the local indigenous personnel had nixed any more scopes up there. As I recall, it was the planning for these scopes that triggered the whole flap. Did they come to some kind of agreement to allow more scopes?

They are still protesting but NASA did a second impact study which appears to comply with the law. The scopes will be built on existing parking lots.

Sounds like a good workaround to me.

[George]

Here is more on the new telescopes (http://www.space.com/scienceastronomy/keck_nasa_030719.html).


This doesn't stop the project,'' she said Thursday. ``It doesn't mean the project won't go further.'' The project has been delayed until the revised assessment is completed, which is expected to take six months to a year, Bail said
The article date shows July 19, 2007, hopefully by mistake and not a prognostication attempt. :-?

[sarongsong, the link no longer current.]

What is the potential resolution for such an interferometer? Are exoplanets a prime target?

[ToSeek]

A state judge has objections, too:

Hawaii Judge Reverses Permit for More Mauna Kea Telescopes (http://www.ens-newswire.com/ens/aug2006/2006-08-07-04.asp)


A Hawaii state court has reversed a conservation district use permit granted by a state agency that would have allowed the construction of up to six more telescopes on the summit of Mauna Kea, the tallest mountain in the Pacific. The ruling puts a roadblock in the path of NASA's $50 million outrigger telescope project planned for the W.M. Keck observatory.

In a decision issued August 3, Judge Glenn Hara reversed the permit granted to the University of Hawaii Institute of Astronomy by the state Board of Land and Natural Resources (BLNR) to build the telescopes.

Judge Hara decided that administrative rules governing astronomy facilities require a "comprehensive management plan" for the Mauna Kea summit, which is a conservation district.

The Mauna Kea summit is a conservation district because it is a fragile and unique alpine ecosystem that serves as a major source of water for the entire island of Hawaii. Development in conservation districts is permitted only if it can be done in a way that does not degrade the public resource.

[Wolverine]

That's some sticky red tape.

[sarongsong]

...sarongsong, the link no longer current...Corrected.

[Doodler]

That's some sticky red tape.

Meh, sounds like someone skipped part of the design process to save money on civil engineering and cheesed it through the application process. Not unusual in the construction industry, but given the environmental issues, I'm not surprised someone flagged them.

They'll lose time because of the costs of actually paying the civil engineer to do the job he should have done in the first place, but its not a showstopper.