Enabling a Giant Segmented Mirror Telescope for the United States Astronomical Community

AST 044399摘要在2000年天文学和天体物理学十年调查中，巨型分段镜望远镜的设计和研制是排名最高的地基计划。GSMT被设想为一种公共/私营伙伴关系，需要两个资金来源为设计、建造和运营提供大致相等的捐款。该奖项的资金将促进全球望远镜技术中心在以下领域的工作：（1）30米直径分段镜光学/红外望远镜-30米望远镜（TMT）的设计和开发阶段;（2）另一种备选的超大望远镜概念-如22米巨型麦哲伦望远镜（GMT）的设计和开发阶段，直至能够对其性能、成本和风险进行评估;（3）两种英语教学概念的共同技术开发;（4）两种工具的概念设计：一种是TMT，另一种是替代英语教学概念;（5）支持教育和公众宣传计划;（6）支持旨在吸引理论家参与英语教学设计的理论挑战计划。其中第一笔投资将利用3500万美元的非联邦资金（由摩尔基金会捐赠给加州理工学院和加州大学），以及加拿大大学天文学研究协会向加拿大创新基金会申请的资金。这项投资将使大学天文学研究协会能够代表美国社区参与合作，到2008年将设计推进到完全成本化的初步设计。第二项主要投资将支持一项替代技术方法的设计研究，该研究将作为一项竞争性分合同提供资金。目前，GMT是唯一具有竞争力的替代设计概念。极大望远镜解决激发公众以及学生和教师想象力的问题的能力，为科学教育和公共宣传活动的蓬勃发展提供了自然的焦点。该奖项支持的活动强调国家在科学，技术，工程和数学（STEM）方面的教育需求，并建立在AURA和TMT项目合作机构的现有活动基础上。

AST 044399ABSTRACTThe design and development of a Giant Segmented Mirror Telescope is the highest ranked ground-based initiative in the 2000 astronomy and astrophysics Decadal Survey. The GSMT is envisioned to be a public/private partnership requiring approximately equal contributions from both funding sources for design, construction and operation. Funds from this award will further the GSMT effort in the following areas:(1) The design and development phase for a 30-meter diameter segmented-mirror, optical/infrared telescope, the Thirty Meter Telescope (TMT); (2) The design and development phase another alternative extremely large telescope (ELT) concept, such as the 22-meter Giant Magellan Telescope (GMT), to the point where its performance, cost and risk can be assessed; (3) Technology development common to both ELT concepts; (4) Conceptual designs for two instruments: one for TMT and one for the alternative ELT concept; (5) Support for an education and public outreach program; and (6) Support for a Theory Challenge program aimed at engaging theorists in shaping the design of ELTs. The first of these investments will leverage $35M in non-federal funding (donated by the Moore Foundation to the California Institute of Technology and the University of California), plus funds requested by the Association of Canadian Universities for Research in Astronomy from the Canadian Foundation for Innovation. This investment will enable the Association of Universities for Research in Astronomy to participate on behalf of the U.S. community in a partnership to advance the design to a fully-costed preliminary design by 2008. The second major investment will support a design study for an alternate technical approach that will be funded as a competitive subaward. At this time, the GMT is the only competitive alternative design concept.The power of Extremely Large Telescopes to address questions that excite the imagination of the public, as well as students and teachers, provides a natural focus for a vigorous program of science education and public outreach activities. Activities to be supported by this award emphasize national education needs in science, technology, engineering and math (STEM), and build on extant activities within AURA and the partnering institutions in the TMT project.