La Palma rejected as site for Thirty Meter Telescope

The international consortium for the Thirty Meter Telescope (TMT) has officially rejected La Palma as a site for the project, opting instead to maintain Hawaii as the definitive location. This decision comes despite a massive financial package proposed by the Spanish government and the European Investment Bank, which totaled up to 1,000 million euros to support the construction and long-term operation of the observatory at the Roque de los Muchachos.

The TMT is designed to be the most powerful optical and infrared telescope in the northern hemisphere, featuring a 30-meter primary mirror. La Palma had been considered a primary alternative for over a decade due to social and cultural opposition to building the facility on Mauna Kea in Hawaii.

Robert Kirshner, executive director of the TMT International Observatory, informed Spanish Minister Diana Morant that the consortium could not accept the Spanish proposal. While acknowledging the extraordinary commitment from Spain and the scientific excellence of the Canary Islands' facilities, the consortium has decided to proceed with the original Hawaiian site.