US media: US cuts in space science funding may benefit China
The Vera C. Rubin Observatory, located in the Atacama Desert of Chile, is scheduled to be put into operation in October 2025. Its giant camera can map the entire night sky every four days, with annual data volume exceeding the total of all previous similar observatories. However, American astronomers are concerned that the continuous reduction of research funding by the Trump administration may cause the project to stall.
The Rubin project has received $600 million from the National Science Foundation (NSF) and $320 million from the Department of Energy, with an annual operating cost of about $80 million. However, another key project - the Giant Magellan Telescope (GMT), which requires $2.3 billion to build - still lacks funding. The Trump administration plans to cut the NSF budget by half to $3.9 billion, and reduce staff from 1,800 to 1,100.
Scientists warn that if the U.S. fails to complete the GMT, it may allow Europe and China to take the lead in the next generation of astronomical exploration. China has already built a radio telescope in Argentina and plans to build optical equipment in Chile. Experts emphasize that if the U.S. gives up its own projects, it may lose its scientific and economic advantages.
Original article: www.toutiao.com/article/1842168505115651/
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