Building The Thirty Meter Telescope in Maunakea, Hawaii

14 May

14/5/2018: Imagine being able to explore the black hole that currently resides in the middle of the Milky Way Galaxy. This is a phenomenon that scientists have had to marvel at from afar for decades. This dream is about to become a reality for scientists due to The Thirty Meter Telescope’s capabilities. A project that M&R Engineering is proud to be a part of. M&R Engineering contributed our CNC machining services by creating high precision parts for the telescope.

The Story Behind the Thirty Meter Telescope

The Thirty Meter Telescope project began in 2000 with TMT International Observatory. Their vision is to create a state of the art telescope that is capable of exploring the beginning phases of the universe. Especially when the first stars and galaxies were formed. This will allow mankind more information about the universe’s evolution, specifically related to the infamous “first-light” objects. In 2009 TMT scientists finished their five-year analysis of every feasible location for the telescope. During this process, they measured each atmospheric feature that might affect the performance of the telescope. Finally deciding on Maunakea, Hawaii was the ultimate location for peak performance. Over the last 10 years, the project has undergone numerous meetings, discussions, protests, and presentations. All regarding the cultural and natural significance to the physical location of the telescope. Coming to an agreement in 2018, the project is now back underway and M&R Engineering has partnered with TMT in the creation of this engineering and scientific breakthrough. The Thirty Meter Telescope will not only assist in the exploration of the “first-light” objects. The scientists will also be able to explore the intergalactic medium, dark matter, and distant galaxies. As well as the physical process that lead to star and planet formation. Not to mention the exploration of life on other planets.

CNC Machining Services

During the planning phase, M&R Engineering was referred to TMT by past M&R Engineering customers because of our ability to solve complex technical issues as a precision machine shop and deliver on time parts. This capability became a considerable advantage to TMT when M&R Engineering was able to assist during the design phase and identify several issues on the drawings that other manufacturing companies had missed. These engineering issues would have caused considerable delays and costly remakes if they were not caught beforehand. Finding the issues prior to manufacturing coupled with an expedited delivery of over twenty custom parts within the critical deadline allowed M&R Engineering to significantly improve the building process for TMT. We believe in constant transparent communication as one of our standard CNC machining services. Our partnership with TMT led to a successful planning & building phase for TMT. We are excited to see the scientific revelations that come from The Thirty Meter Telescope’s completion. Click here to stay up to date on the project’s completion and scientific discoveries. References- https://www.tmt.org/page/about#what-is-tmt https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Thirty_Meter_Telescope Photo Credit - https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Thirty_Meter_Telescope