tech
January 9, 2026
Former Google CEO plans to singlehandedly fund a Hubble telescope replacement
“This is a very significant contribution to the astronomical community.”
TL;DR
- Eric and Wendy Schmidt are funding four new telescope projects, collectively known as the Schmidt Observatory System.
- One of these projects is Lazuli, a space-based optical telescope with a larger mirror than Hubble, intended to launch by late 2028.
- Lazuli will orbit farther from Earth than Hubble, offering a clearer view and overcoming interference from satellites.
- The other three projects are ground-based: the Argus Array (an optical telescope array), the DSA radio telescope array, and LFAST (a large-aperture spectroscopy instrument).
- These telescopes leverage recent advancements in computing, AI, and commercial space launch capabilities.
- All data from the Schmidt Observatory System will be shared freely and openly with the global astronomical community.
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