Washington - The United States proposed the termination of funding of development projects of the largest optical telescope in space. United States Agency for Space Administration (NASA) at risk of losing the title as the leading institution of science.
Economic crisis in the United States forced the Budget Agency budget cut various research institutes for 2012. Package discounts are cut NASA's budget to 9 percent from the 2011 budget, including the James Webb Space Telescope development projects. This year, NASA announced funding the construction of telescopes swelled from the original estimate of U.S. $ 3.5 billion to U.S. $ 5 billion.
"This project is too large to absorb funds and suffered mismanagement," wrote the Congressional Budget Agency for the United States in his official statement.
James Webb telescope was originally designed as a successor to the Hubble Space Telescope. Armed with the mirror measures 6.5 meters, or three times larger than the Hubble telescope, the James Webb is projected as the largest optical telescope in space.
Failure of development of advanced telescopes makes astronomers grumpy. According to the Space Telescope Science Institute Director Matt Mountain, the United States could lose his position as leader of space science research. "The cancellation was very disappointing at the time when the state seeks to inspire students to master the natural sciences and engineering sciences," he added.
Astronomers from the National Optical Astronomy Observatory, said Tod Lauer, James Webb Telescope project cancellations be catastrophic for the world of cosmology. In the last two decades, the Hubble telescope is pushed to his best knowledge and be able to revolutionize astronomy. "Hubble is not enough because astronomers need more sophisticated tools to uncover the mystery is greater," said Lauer.
Budget Agency itself will conduct a meeting approval budget plan next week.
