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expensiveinc > Valuables > Most Expensive Telescopes in the World
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Most Expensive Telescopes in the World

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Telescopes are important for understanding the cosmos and planets. They are inspiring scientists from generations and centuries throughout the world to spend heavily. Telescopes are not easy to build these days due to tech advancements. They can get really expensive for what it is worth. Mostly they are funded by multiple kinds of sources, including government agencies, research institutes, universities, and commercial entities. Billionaires, having the taste and mind for tech like Jeff Bezos, contribute to telescope investments. Sometimes, they even put their own telescope on the moon for research.

Contents
List of the Most Expensive and amazing Telescopes in the World to ExistJames Webb Space Telescope –$10 billionThirty Meter Telescope –$2.65 billionHubble Space Telescope –$2.5 billionAtacama Large Millimeter Array –$1.4 billionVery Large Telescope –$1.4 billionLarge Synoptic Survey Telescope –$626 millionSubaru Telescope –$285 millionGran Telescopio Canarias –$140 millionFinal Notice

Major astronomical projects, whether space-based or massive ground-based observatories need significant finance for R&D, building, maintenance, and operations. Despite the high expense of these expenditures, the information we get from the telescopes has far-reaching consequences. Here are the top eight most expensive telescope projects in the world.

List of the Most Expensive and amazing Telescopes in the World to Exist

Here is the list of the most pricey telescopes to ever exist in the world till now. Because as our technology grows there will definitely be more like these and who knows how much costlier than these. For now, let’s take a look at these

RankTelescopeCost (USD)
1James Webb Space Telescope10,000,000,000
2Thirty Meter Telescope2,650,000,000
3Hubble Space Telescope2,500,000,000
4Atacama Large Millimeter Array1,400,000,000
5Very Large Telescope1,400,000,000
6Large Synoptic Survey Telescope626,000,000
7Subaru Telescope285,000,000
8Gran Telescopio Canarias140,000,000

James Webb Space Telescope –$10 billion

James Webb Space Telescope

The James Webb Space Telescope is the most expensive telescope ever built. This new telescope, which launched less than a year ago on December 25, 2021, and will start operation on July 12, 2022, has surpassed Hubble’s long-standing record. It was launched from French Guiana aboard an Ariane 5 rocket built by Northrop Grumman, Bail Aerospace, and L3Harris.

The mirror of the James Webb Space Telescope is made up of 18 hexagonal mirrors made of gold-plated beryllium, providing it six times the light-collecting area of Hubble. This enables it to detect light in the visible, ultraviolet, and near-infrared wavelength spectrums. Temperatures below -370 degrees Fahrenheit are required for the telescope. Surprisingly, the telescope cost $9,700,000,000 and it took 30 years to build. NASA, the European Space Agency (ESA), and the Canadian Space Agency (CSA) collaborated on the project. Read more about the most valuable companies in the world.

SpecificationDetails
Cost$10 billion
Primary Mirror Diameter6.5 meters
Launch DateDecember 18, 2021 (planned)
LocationL2 Lagrange point
Wavelength RangeInfrared
Mission DurationExpected to be at least 10 years
Main Science GoalsObserving the universe in the infrared, studying the formation of the first galaxies, stars, and planets.

Thirty Meter Telescope –$2.65 billion

Thirty Meter Telescope

Imagine a colossal telescope with a whopping 30-meter main mirror, making it one of the largest ground-based telescopes ever conceived. At the helm of this cosmic venture is the TMT International Observatory, a consortium of five major partners: the United States, Japan, Canada, China, and India. Despite challenges, it’s rising in Mauna Kea, Hawaii, and is set to operate by the early 2030s. Spearheading this cosmic quest is the TMT International Observatory, led by major partners. More than a telescope, TMT is a shared vision propelling humanity into a new era of astronomical exploration, fostering collaboration among nations in the pursuit of celestial understanding. Read more about the most luxurious religious artifacts in the world.

SpecificationDetails
Cost$2.65 billion
Primary Mirror Diameter30 meters
LocationMauna Kea, Hawaii
Wavelength RangeInfrared, Optical
Expected First LightMid-2020s (anticipated)
Main Science GoalsInvestigating dark matter, dark energy, and the formation and evolution of galaxies.

Hubble Space Telescope –$2.5 billion

Hubble Space Telescope

The Hubble Space Telescope was launched in April 1990 and went into service on May 20, 1990. It was built by Lockheed Martin for the spacecraft and Perkin-Elmer for the optics. Hubble symbolizes the pinnacle of space telescope hypotheses suggested as early as 1923. It was ultimately constructed in the 1970s. It is the only known telescope created by astronauts for space maintenance. As part of NASA’s Great Observatories program, the telescope has been repaired or enhanced on five space trips.

Hubble is expected to be operational until the 2030s (the Great Observatories program, which included Hubble, the Spitzer Space Telescope, the Chandra X-ray Observatory, and the Compton Gamma Ray Observatory, was launched in the 1990s and early 2000s).

The Hubble Space Telescope was supposed to launch much sooner. However, the explosion of the space shuttle Challenger in January 1986 hampered the expansion of the United States space program and suspended its operations. During the space program’s hiatus, NASA kept the Hubble Space Telescope in a medical-grade clean room disinfected with a solid nitrogen atmosphere. It didn’t go on sale until April 24, 1990.Read more about the top most expensive commercials in the world ever made.

SpecificationDetails
Cost$2.5 billion
Primary Mirror Diameter2.4 meters
Launch DateApril 24, 1990
OrbitLow Earth Orbit
Wavelength RangeUltraviolet, Optical, Near-infrared
Mission DurationLaunched as a 15-year mission, still operational (over 30 years)
Main Science GoalsObserving distant galaxies, nebulae, and exploring the nature of dark energy.

Atacama Large Millimeter Array –$1.4 billion

Atacama Large Millimeter Array

ALMA, or the Atacama Large Millimeter Array, is made up of 66 radio telescopes that can observe electromagnetic radiation. They were finished in March 2013 for $1.4 billion and are located at an elevation of 16,000 feet on the Chajnantor plateau. As a result, it is the most costly ground telescope ever constructed. ALMA is a collaboration of the United States, Europe, Japan, Canada, South Korea, Chile, and Taiwan. ALMA scientific observations began to be returned in late 2011.

It began full functioning in 2013 and published its 1000th publication in 2018. The telescope is located on the Chajnantor Plateau in the Chilean Andes at a total height of 5,000 meters (16,000 feet). This site was basically selected because of its high altitude and low humidity. These factors are very important for reducing noise and signal weakening caused by the Earth’s atmosphere. Let`s explore the world most expensive computers ever created that pushed the boundaries of innovation.

SpecificationDetails
Cost$1.4 billion
Total Number of Antennas66
LocationAtacama Desert, Chile
Wavelength RangeMillimeter and Submillimeter
Array ConfigurationCompact and Extended Configurations
Main Science GoalsStudying the cold universe, observing protostars, galaxies, and the early universe.

Very Large Telescope –$1.4 billion

Very Large Telescope

The European Very Large Telescope is a component of the European Southern Observatory that is still under construction. It now costs the maker $1.4 billion, making it the third most costly telescope ever built. It catches 13 times more light than the greatest extant telescopes and has 256 times the light-gathering area of Hubble. The telescope is intended to examine previously undiscovered deep-space objects such as black holes in the Universe’s “dark sector.” It will also be capable of detecting organic compounds like water in freshly formed dust and gas rings known as protoplanetary disks.

SpecificationDetails
Cost$1.4 billion
Number of Telescopes4
LocationParanal Observatory, Chile
Wavelength RangeOptical and Infrared
Adaptive OpticsYes
Main Science GoalsHigh-resolution imaging, spectroscopy, and astrometry of astronomical objects.

Large Synoptic Survey Telescope –$626 million

Large Synoptic Survey Telescope


The LSST, which is based in Chile, was established in 2022 with the goal of conducting a complete survey of the night sky. Because of its huge mirror and sensitive camera, the LSST can record a wide field of view in a single image. The Large Synoptic Survey Telescope is giving researchers a lot of data. It is expected to cost roughly 6 million. With an 8.4-meter mirror, LSST captures high-resolution images and maps the night sky every few nights. 

The National Science Foundation (NSF), the United States Department of Energy (DOE), and foreign partners are working together on this major project. The LSST, which already started full science operations in the mid-2020s. This telescope surely has the potential to substantially expand our understanding of the universe.

SpecificationDetails
Cost$626 million
Primary Mirror Diameter8.4 meters
LocationCerro Pachón, Chile
Field of View3.5 degrees
Imaging FrequencyEvery few nights
Main Science GoalsSurveying the entire visible sky, studying dark matter, dark energy, and transient astronomical events.

Subaru Telescope –$285 million

Subaru Telescope

On the top of Mauna Kea in Hawaii, the Subaru Telescope, part of the National Astronomical Observatory of Japan (NAOJ). It is the world’s largest single-aperture optical telescope, with a huge 8.3-meter diameter. This telescope is located in the pure skies of Mauna Kea. This pricey optical telescope has made quite a reputation for itself. The Subaru Telescope project was initiated in the 1980s by the Japanese Ministry of Education, Culture, Sports, Science and Technology (MEXT). The telescope was named after Subaru, the Japanese name for the Pleiades star cluster, which is visible from Hawaii. The first light was obtained on February 19, 1999, and the telescope was inaugurated in 2000.

SpecificationDetails
Cost$285 million
Primary Mirror Diameter8.2 meters
LocationMauna Kea, Hawaii
Wavelength RangeOptical and Infrared
Adaptive OpticsYes
Main Science GoalsStudying the formation and evolution of galaxies, stars, and planetary systems.

Gran Telescopio Canarias –$140 million

Gran Telescopio Canarias

The Gran Telescopio CANARIAS (GTC) stands as a pinnacle of optical and infrared telescope technology. With a colossal primary mirror made up of 36 hexagonal segments, it functions as a unified mirror, capturing light equivalent to a single mirror with a 10.4m diameter. Positioned at the Roque de los Muchachos Observatory, it boasts a vast light-collecting surface of 75.7 square meters. 

The clever design and active optics of the telescope guarantee great image quality while reducing atmospheric disturbances. The revolutionary design of GTC, which includes adaptive optics, enables real-time adjustments to mitigate air turbulence, pushing the bounds of astronomical study. The GTC’s mount, a massive steel structure, precisely positions the telescope, enabling it to track celestial objects with remarkable accuracy. 

SpecificationDetails
Cost$140 million
Primary Mirror Diameter10.4 meters
LocationRoque de los Muchachos Observatory, Spain
Wavelength RangeOptical and Infrared
Adaptive OpticsYes
Main Science GoalsInvestigating the nature of dark matter, galaxies, and the early universe.

Final Notice

Nothing beats catching your first view of a different celestial object through a telescope. Telescopes serve as our windows into the cosmos’ secrets in the wide expanse of space. This extraordinary equipment let us explore distant galaxies, analyze celestial bodies, and discover the mysteries of the cosmos. While there are many telescopes all throughout the world, some stand out for their remarkable powers and, obviously, their outrageous costs.  As we look up at the sky, telescopes are like guiding lights in our journey to explore space. They help us make amazing discoveries that go beyond countries, adding to what we know about the huge wonders in the sky. Spending money on these tools helps us learn more and keeps pushing our study of space ahead. This also motivates new scientists and astronomers for the future.
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TAGGED: amazing telescopes, Big Budgets, Space, Telescopes
Laura Effie March 28, 2024 January 17, 2024
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