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

巨型分割镜望远镜的设计和开发是2000年天文和天体物理年代际调查中排名最高的地面项目。GSMT被设想为一种公共/私人合作伙伴关系，要求双方在设计、建设和运营方面的资金来源大致相等。来自该奖项的资金将进一步推动GSMT在以下领域的努力：(1)设计和开发30米直径分段反射镜光学/红外望远镜，即30米望远镜（TMT）；(2)设计和开发另一种替代的超大型望远镜（ELT）概念，如22米巨型麦哲伦望远镜（GMT），以评估其性能、成本和风险；(3)两种英语教学概念共同的技术发展；(4)两种仪器的概念设计：一种用于TMT，另一种用于替代ELT概念；(5)支持教育和公共宣传项目；(6)支持一项理论挑战计划，旨在吸引理论家参与塑造雅思的设计。其中第一笔投资将动用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研究协会向加拿大创新基金会请求的资金。这项投资将使天文学研究大学协会能够代表美国社区参与合作，在2008年之前将设计推进到完全成本的初步设计。第二项主要投资将支持一项替代技术方法的设计研究，该研究将作为竞争性次级奖励获得资助。在这个时候，GMT是唯一有竞争力的替代设计概念。超大望远镜解决问题的能力激发了公众以及学生和教师的想象力，为科学教育和公共宣传活动的蓬勃发展提供了一个自然的焦点。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，并以AURA和TMT项目合作机构的现有活动为基础。

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.