This document summarizes developments in ground-based and space-based astronomy. It discusses controversies over the Thirty Meter Telescope on Mauna Kea in Hawaii and reports on progress of the TMT technology. It also describes advances by the European Space Agency, German Aerospace Center, and NASA in space-based telescopes and observatories, which have eclipsed the TMT project. These agencies are collaborating on projects like the Stratospheric Observatory for Infrared Astronomy.

1. MAUNA KEA – TMT INTERNATIONAL OBSERVATORY (TIO)
Embroiled In Internal and External Conflict & Controversy
Technology Still In Development
TMT International Passé
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ECLIPSED BY DEATH STARS WEILHEIM, NORCIA and SOFIA
TMT IS ANTEDILUVIAN
European Space Agency (ESA), German Aerospace Center (DLR)
National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA)
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MAUNA KEA – TMT INTERNATIONAL OBSERVATORY (TIO)
UH President Lassner Responds To Racism Complaints As TMT Debate Continues
By Big Island Video News, September 19, 2019
https://www.bigislandvideonews.com/2019/09/19/uh-president-lassner-responds-to-racism-complaints-as-tmt-debate-continues/
The University of Hawaii President David Lassner is denouncing recent statements made by
faculty after an organization said in a media release that they were racist attacks. The internal
conflict within the University of Hawaii over the Thirty Meter Telescope project continues, as
the president of the university today denounced bigotry and defended the reputation of
Kamehameha Schools in a statement to the media.
Mauna Kea Protectors at UH demand university officials to take action
on reported claims of racist attacks
By Chavonnie Ramos, Editor in Chief, Ka Leo
September 18, 2019 Updated September 19, 2019
http://www.manoanow.org/kaleo/news/mauna-kea-protectors-at-uh-demand-university-officials-to-take/article_c7068650-dab3-11e9-a74f-
4334a8faf9ce.html
The Mauna Kea Protectors at University of Hawaii are demanding that the Board of Regents
and President David Lassner intervene on the reported claims of racist attacks on Hawaiian
faculty by faculty members supporting the Thirty Meter Telescope project on Maunakea.
In a press release on Sept. 18, the Mauna Kea Protectors said that “the recent escalation of
racist and discriminatory acts against Hawaiian faculty on campus has created an atmosphere
of hostility that may be irreversible if the administration does not immediately enforce the
University's E9.201 Workplace Non-Violence policy.” At a symposium about “A History of
Astronomy on Mauna Kea and the Case for the TMT “ on Sept. 5, faculty members discussed
why Hawaiians are underrepresented in the field of physics and astronomy. An audio file of
the discussion was circulated around social media. In the audio file, a UH physics professor at
the symposium claimed that “We know that the Kam Schools are academically
unsuccessful...a student that we have here who is working on his Master's and is a physics
teacher at Kam Schools, he told me that he had to graduate people in physics that couldn't
even read.” A Hawaiian professor in the audience told the physics professor that his statement
was racist, but the physics professor responded back saying “I don't care.”

2. Despite Standoff, TMT Technology Development Continues
By Big Island Video News
September 18, 2019
https://www.bigislandvideonews.com/2019/09/18/despite-standoff-tmt-technology-development-continues/
Despite the divisive situation ongoing at the base of Mauna Kea, scientists and engineers are
hard at work on critical components of the Thirty Meter Telescope in Pasadena, California. In
a September 16 update posted to the TMT website, photos from the TMT Laboratory show
new developments within the TMT Quality Assurance program. TMT Engineers are already
working with real, full-size components of the primary mirror to see how they fit and work
together when assembled, the site reports. The assembly requires high precision, and
engineers are using a new, advanced metrology system to make the measurements.
“We now have a Portable Coordinate Measuring Machine (CMM), which is a great tool for
analyzing our assemblies and ensuring we meet the required high-tolerances for the TMT
primary mirror. The TMT Optics team and Quality Assurance group have been trained this
summer to use this CMM to test the M1 aluminum segment and its support assembly,” says
Dr. Alastair Heptonstall, TMT Senior Opto-Mechanical Engineer.
The TMT Primary Mirror System is comprised of 492 active mirror segments, project officials
reported in 2017.
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TMT Eclipsed and Out-Gunned By
European Space Agency (ESA), German Aerospace Center (DLR)
National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA)
Joint activities between ESA and national space agencies in the area of communications are
excellent examples of how Europe can become even more capable and stronger by developing
a 'network of operational centres'. By linking the efforts of control centres operated by ESA
and agencies like DLR, and their ground stations, resources can be shared – and European
missions, industry and space ventures can benefit overall, making Europe even more
competitive and attractive for international partnership in space.
“Upgrading the Weilheim antenna to full deep-space capability is a good idea that promises to
support not only ESA but also DLR itself, partner agencies and new commercial space
actors,” says Rolf Densing, ESA’s Director of Operations. “And it will provide an excellent
return on investment for European taxpayers.” ESA is Europe's space agency, enabling its 22
Member States to achieve results that no individual nation can match. ESA combines space
mission development with supporting labs, test and operational facilities plus in-house experts
covering every aspect of space, supported through the Agency's Basic Activities.
Now and in the next few years, ESA is sending some of the most advanced spacecraft ever
flown to exotic locations like Mars, Mercury and Jupiter.
Source: ESA and DLR in Joint Study to Support Deep Space Missions By European Space Agency,
April 2, 2019 https://www.esa.int/Our_Activities/Operations/ESA_and_DLR_in_joint_study_to_support_deep_space_missions

3. NASA
German Aerospace Center (DLR) : Institute of Planetary Research
International Partner Series - Program News
https://astrobiology.nasa.gov/news/german-aerospace-center-institute-of-planetary-research/
Each of NASA's international astrobiology partners take a different tack in looking for the
answer to the question of whether there is life elsewhere in the Universe. A creative, multi-
pronged investigation is necessary with such a complicated problem – the answer will draw on
a collaborative approach among biologists, geologists, chemists and many others.
In the case of the German Aerospace Center (DLR)'s Institute of Planetary Research, there are
two areas on which they focus their attention. DLR specializes in developing technology for
space missions, including photometric technology, radiometers, laser altimeters, thermal
probes and spectrometers, and contributes to NASA projects including Cassini, InSight and
Dawn, plus European Space Agency (ESA) missions such as CoRoT, Rosetta and ExoMars
and the forthcoming JUICE (JUpiter ICy moons Explorer) spacecraft. In particular, cameras
are a speciality. In addition, DLR has performed astrobiological experiments, for example
BIOMEX (BIOlogy and Mars Experiment) on board the International Space Station, which
tests the extent to which extremophiles can survive in particular space environments.
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The German Aerospace Center (DLR) Space Administration acts as Germany's space agency
and, in this capacity, implements the Federal Government's space strategy. It has
approximately 300 employees and is based in Bonn. The DLR Space Administration
coordinates German space activities at national and European levels and represents German
space interests worldwide on behalf of the Federal Government. Its tasks include the planning
and implementation of the national space programme and the management of Germany's
contributions to the European Space Agency (ESA) and the European Organisation for the
Exploitation of Meteorological Satellites (EUMETSAT).
Source: German Aerospace Center
https://www.dlr.de/SiteGlobals/Forms/Suche/EN/Servicesuche_Formular.html;jsessionid=12FBA358D64BFD71A8923EF117B1F048.delivery-replication2?resourceId=57622fc8-
2df1-4e63-b799-616f35a5baef&input_=e8014e55-ef46-42ce-8905-ac575a7a1aa8&pageLocale=en&templateQueryString=esa&submit=Search
The Stratospheric Observatory for Infrared Astronomy (SOFIA) is a joint project by the US
space agency NASA and the German Aerospace Center (DLR). SOFIA is scheduled to take
off from Stuttgart for its first scientific research flight over Europe, during which it will fly
over 12 countries. The idea behind this is that, during its European mission, SOFIA will fly
much farther north than it is able to when taking off from its home base in Palmdale, southern
California. The closer the infrared observatory is able to fly to the poles, the less water vapour
is present in the atmosphere above it, offering improved observing conditions.
The German contribution to the project is managed by the DLR Space Administration, using
funds provided by the Federal Ministry for Economic Affairs and Energy (BMWi), the State
of Baden-Württemberg and the University of Stuttgart. German scientific operations are
coordinated by the German SOFIA Institute (DSI) at the University of Stuttgart; US activities
are coordinated by the UNIVERSITIES SPACE RESEARCH ASSOCIATION (USRA)*.
Development of the German instruments is funded by the Max Planck Society (MPG), the
German Research Foundation (DFG) and DLR. * University of Hawaii is a Member.
Source: German Aerospace Center https://www.dlr.de/content/en/articles/news/2019/03/20190915_sofia-in-stuttgart.html