Priorities for Research in US

[CraigS]

In the news this morning:
“Decadal Survey of Astronomy and Astrophysics”:

http://www.physorg.com/news200920215.html

“The decadal survey -- the <National> Research Council's sixth -- prioritizes activities based on their ability to advance science in key areas, and for the first time also takes into account factors such as risks in technical readiness, schedule, and cost.”

"The recommended research activities are encapsulated by three science objectives: deepening understanding of how the first stars, galaxies, and black holes formed, locating the closest habitable Earth-like planets beyond the solar system for detailed study, and using astronomical measurements to unravel the mysteries of gravity and probe fundamental physics."

Hopefully, we'll get some more clarity on 'darkness' and formation of objects, as a result of these nifty new telescopes.

Cheers

[renormalised]

It'll be great if all of those proposals can be funded and they get off the ground, so to speak. But I wonder how many of them, in reality, will make it off paper. Considering the wider political and financial issues, it wouldn't surprise me if only half or even less of the proposals ever see the light of day. Look at the TPF...that was a must have and was going to do big things, but it got canned. I think the ESA canned the DARWIN telescope, or at least shelved it for some time. You also have to wonder if GAIA will get off the ground either. It must be frustrating for the scientists to come up with these great ideas only to have incompetent idiots generally stuff up the economy and such and make it impossible for them to see the fruition of their dreams. It's one of the reasons why you see a lot of scientist leave research and such to go to industry...it pays better and is (hopefully) more secure. Although these days, that isn't even a given.

But, if they can get these scopes up and running, I think it'll be a boon for science, especially astronomy.

What will be interesting is if there is any tech spinoff in the building of these scopes and whether it'll trickle down to us amateurs. I hope so.

[CraigS]

Also in the news just this morning, looks like the "James Webb" telescope is having major 'birthing pains':

"Telescope promises new look at universe - if NASA can get it into space."
http://www.physorg.com/news201098260.html

"construction of NASA's next big telescope has been so hurt by delays and cost overruns that even its staunchest champion in Congress reached a breaking point.";

"at least $1.5 billion over budget and three years behind schedule."

"When Webb bleeds, the rest of space science hemorrhages,""

"We are aiming to see the realm between 250 million years after the big bang to about 400 million years afterward,"

"Specifically, the Webb and its 21-foot infrared mirror will test the theory that the first galaxies were disorganized and composed of "very large, very bright and short-lived stars,"

I hope they get this one sorted out quickly & they don't take any shortcuts in doing so. Its planned to have this puppy parked 1 million miles up at the Earth-Sun Lagrange point. No chance of a shuttle rescue mission there, folks.

Cheers