The scaling relationship between telescope cost and aperture size for very large telescopes

Gerard Theodore van Belle; Aden Baker Meinel; Marjorie Pettit Meinel

doi:10.1117/12.552181

28 September 2004 The scaling relationship between telescope cost and aperture size for very large telescopes

Gerard Theodore van Belle, Aden Baker Meinel, Marjorie Pettit Meinel

Proceedings Volume 5489, Ground-based Telescopes; (2004) https://doi.org/10.1117/12.552181
Event: SPIE Astronomical Telescopes + Instrumentation, 2004, Glasgow, United Kingdom

Abstract

Cost data for ground-based telescopes of the last century are analyzed for trends in the relationship between aperture size and cost. We find that for apertures built prior to 1980, costs scaled as aperture size to the 2.8 power, which is consistent with the previous finding of Meinel (1978). After 1980, 'traditional' monolithic mirror telescope costs have scaled as aperture to the 2.5 power. The large multiple mirror telescopes built or in construction during this time period (Keck, LBT, GTC) appear to deviate from this relationship with significant cost savings as a result, although it is unclear what power law such structures follow. We discuss the implications of the current cost-aperture size data on the proposed large telescope projects of the next ten to twenty years. Structures that naturally tend towards the 2.0 power in the cost-aperture relationship will be the favorable choice for future extremely large apertures; our expectation is that space-based structures will ultimately gain economic advantage over ground-based ones.

Citation Download Citation

Gerard Theodore van Belle, Aden Baker Meinel, and Marjorie Pettit Meinel "The scaling relationship between telescope cost and aperture size for very large telescopes", Proc. SPIE 5489, Ground-based Telescopes, (28 September 2004); https://doi.org/10.1117/12.552181

ACCESS THE FULL ARTICLE

INSTITUTIONAL
Select your institution to access the SPIE Digital Library.

SELECT YOUR INSTITUTION

PERSONAL
Sign in with your SPIE account to access your personal subscriptions or to use specific features such as save to my library, sign up for alerts, save searches, etc.

PERSONAL SIGN IN

No SPIE Account? Create one

PURCHASE THIS CONTENT

SUBSCRIBE TO DIGITAL LIBRARY

50 downloads per 1-year subscription

Members: $195

Non-members: $335 ADD TO CART

25 downloads per 1 - year subscription

Members: $145

Non-members: $250 ADD TO CART

PURCHASE SINGLE ARTICLE

Includes PDF, HTML & Video, when available