The Ministry of Universities, Science, Innovation and Culture of the Government of the Canary Islands, headed by Migdalia Machín, regrets the decision that prevents the construction of the Thirty Meter Telescope (TMT for its acronym in English) from beginning at the Roque de los Muchachos Observatory, in La Palma, after the partners of the TMT International Observatory did not reach the necessary consensus to accept the financial proposal presented to develop the project on the island.
Machín pointed out that “it is a shame that the TMT will not finally be installed in La Palma. From the Canary Islands, we have made all the efforts that were in our hands and we have worked, together with the rest of the administrations and institutions involved, to present a solid candidacy with all the guarantees”.
Machín acknowledged that the decision means the loss of an important opportunity for La Palma and for the Canary Islands, but stressed that “our scientific potential goes far beyond a specific project”. “We have exceptional conditions for observation, first-rate scientific institutions and an international position that we must continue to leverage and strengthen,” she added.
The proposal presented by the Ministry of Science, Innovation and Universities contemplated financing of up to 1,000 million euros to make the construction of the TMT in La Palma possible, structured through the Center for Technological Development and Innovation (CDTI) and a loan with the participation of the European Investment Bank (EIB) and the Official Credit Institute (ICO). Finally, the members of the organization responsible for the telescope did not reach the necessary consensus to accept this proposal.
Throughout this process, the Government of the Canary Islands has supported the candidacy of La Palma together with the Canary Islands Institute of Astrophysics (IAC), the Cabildo of La Palma, the town councils of Garafía and Puntagorda, and the University of La Laguna. The IAC itself has particularly highlighted the support of the institutions and of the Palman and Canarian society for the installation of large scientific infrastructures on the islands.
For Machín, this backing also reflects “Canarias’ capacity to receive and support scientific projects of international dimension”. In this regard, he assured that “Canarias will continue to be an international benchmark for sky observation and we will continue working to attract investment, new scientific infrastructures, and research projects that allow us to continue strengthening our science and innovation ecosystem”.
La Palma’s scientific future continues
The Roque de los Muchachos Observatory maintains its international relevance. The IAC places it among the best astronomical sites in the world and has reaffirmed its commitment to its scientific and technological development and to the incorporation of new international reference infrastructures.
Among the projects that continue to advance are the medium-sized telescopes of the Cherenkov Telescope Array Observatory (CTAO) and the European Solar Telescope (EST), two infrastructures that reinforce the Observatory’s scientific capabilities and keep La Palma linked to some of the major projects in international astronomy.
“The response to this decision must be to continue working and to continue being international benchmarks in sky observation,” Machín concluded. “La Palma has unique conditions, knowledge, experience, and first-class scientific infrastructures. Our goal is to leverage all that potential so that new scientific and technological opportunities find in Canarias the place to develop”.
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