- By Supratik Das
- Tue, 25 Nov 2025 01:04 PM (IST)
- Source:JND
In a major stride for international astronomy, India and Japan are deepening scientific cooperation through the Thirty Metre Telescope (TMT), a next-generation optical-infrared observatory designed to probe the farthest and faintest corners of the universe.
Built around a 30-metre primary mirror, three times larger than today’s biggest optical telescopes multi-national project aims to answer some of humanity’s oldest questions, including whether life exists beyond Earth.
Giant Leap For Astronomy
The TMT is being developed by an international consortium led by institutions in the United States, Japan, Canada, China, and India. When operational by the mid-2030s, its segmented mirror comprising nearly 500 precisely aligned hexagonal panels will allow astronomers to study black holes, distant galaxies, star-forming regions, and exoplanets with unprecedented clarity.
Japan’s senior space policy official, Dr. Saku Tsuneta, says the scientific return depends on the telescope’s ability to collect and stabilise light from extremely distant objects. “The bigger the mirror, the more discoveries you can make. Each mirror segment must be positioned with extreme accuracy, and India has delivered key technology to achieve this,” he noted.
India’s Crucial Role
India is a founder-member of the partnership, with participation approved by the Union Cabinet in 2014. Three institutions—the Indian Institute of Astrophysics (IIA), the Inter-University Centre for Astronomy and Astrophysics (IUCAA), and ARIES Nainital, are responsible for developing sophisticated opto-mechanical systems that keep all 492 segments aligned.
Indian scientists have also contributed to instrument design, simulations, and data-handling systems in collaboration with 2020 Physics Nobel laureate Prof. Andrea Ghez, who worked closely with Indian teams on early TMT instrumentation studies and science planning.
Mauna Kea in Hawaii, one of the world’s clearest and most stable sky-watching sitesremains the preferred location for the TMT. However, construction has faced resistance from Native Hawaiian communities who consider the mountain sacred. Efforts continue to build consensus, and alternatives such as Hanle in Ladakh, which already hosts a high-altitude observatory, remain on the table.
Why The Project Matters
Beyond its broad scientific agenda, a core mission of the TMT is to hunt for signatures of life on planets orbiting distant stars. Using advanced spectroscopy, scientists will analyse exoplanet atmospheres for water vapour, methane, and organic molecules. “Astronomers believe there are other life forms elsewhere. This telescope will help us find chemical signatures that point to life,” Dr. Tsuneta said.
The TMT is more than a scientific facility; it represents a new chapter in India–Japan cooperation, complementing their upcoming LUPEX lunar mission. The project also signals India’s rise as a hub for precision engineering, adaptive optics, and advanced space-science instrumentation.
If the telescope succeeds in detecting life elsewhere, scientists say it would be one of the most transformative discoveries in human history, worthy of the highest international honours.