India Becomes TMT Partner

Leaders of the Thirty Meter Telescope (TMT) project announced on Tuesday that the government of India has signed on as a full partner in the construction of what will be the world's largest ground-based telescope.

A collaboration of institutions in the United States, including Caltech and the University of California, along with institutions from Canada, Japan, India, and China, are working together to build the TMT observatory on Mauna Kea in Hawaii. TMT is expected to begin operation in the early 2020s.

Members of the TMT International Observatory Board call India's commitment to the project "most welcome and essential" and say that it "will enhance science collaborations for the next generation."

"India's commitment is an exciting step in making our shared vision of the Thirty Meter Telescope a reality," says Ed Stone, the David Morrisroe Professor of Physics and Executive Director of the TMT International Observatory. "We look forward to a close collaboration with Indian colleagues in launching a new age of astronomy."

To learn more about TMT—as well as Caltech's involvement in the project—visit our TMT Updates page.