In the Name of Scientific Progress. Future challenges for Astronomical Observatories

Astronomical observatories face many challenges that must be addressed in the immediate future. One of their key challenges is what to do with them when they are no longer useful. Some years ago I proposed to the readers in a scientific dissemination article to fix their vision on a star on one night. Without realizing it, they would see that there are other “stars” moving in relation to it. Each one of them is probably an artificial satellite. Many are objects that we put into orbit, but that are not used (González, 2018). On top of this, we must keep in mind the increasingly important role of private companies that offer services such as space tourism or put entire networks of satellites in space for diverse purposes—for example, telecommunications. It is estimated that there are half a million pieces of different-sized debris in space: space junk (González, 2018).

In the case of astronomical observatories and exploration missions, in order to avoid generating more space junk, a plan is being designed to disintegrate satellites when they are no longer in use. Cassini-Huygens arrived at Saturn finding that there are volcanoes ejecting ice instead of lava. After its lifespan, it was disintegrated in a controlled way by being launched against Saturn’s atmosphere in what was called the “Grand Finale” (González, 2018).

The main problem is that there is hardly any regulation regarding space, and this has all kinds of implications. For example, if a satellite already considered space junk falls into our atmosphere and causes damage, there is no clear regulation about liability. If two operational satellites are in a collision path for some reason, there is no global regulation about what to do. It might sound like a movie script, but this happened a few years ago, when the European Space Agency’s (ESA) satellite XMM-Newton found itself on a collision course with a privately built satellite. In the absence of clear regulations, they could only negotiate a solution between the two parties. The basic principle governing space is based on the idea that it is a common good of humankind. However, there is no single authority to regulate it, which undoubtedly is one of the most pressing challenges for the future.

As for ground-based nocturnal observatories, one of their greatest challenges is to guarantee dark skies. The night sky is heritage that humanity has been gradually losing [see UNAM International 3, p. 108]. Some generations ago, except for a few cities, people had the possibility to appreciate a dark sky in which, on a clear night, the Milky Way could be seen in all its splendor. Cities nowadays emit light, polluting the sky for many kilometers around them, so we can only see planets and some of the brightest stars. Children grow up without ever having seen a really dark sky. Even professional observatories of the highest level are threatened by this problem, such as the Paranal Observatory in the Atacama Desert, Chile, whose nearest town is Antofagasta, 130 kilometers away. One might think that it is located far enough from sources of light pollution  so there should be no concern due to population growth. However, the construction of a huge, clean energy plant threatens  the operation of one of the best observatories in the world.

The International Astronomical Union notes that the efficiency of all types of luminaires used in street lighting is improved by directing the light downward, where it is needed, rather than upward, where it only illuminates the sky (McNally, 1994). Furthermore, many of the devices used for street lighting emit waves both inside and out of the visible range, hence emissions outside the visible range are of no use for street lighting and are harmful to astronomical work (McNally, 1994). The global astronomical community succeeded in having the night sky declared a UNESCO World Heritage Site since 1992. The current challenge is to protect this heritage.

Beyond the difficulties presented by ground- and space-based observatories, technological advances in astronomy are proof of our creativity to improve our ability to observe the Universe. Each new telescope or instrument intends to make sharper and more detailed observations. We will see in the following pages some of the technological prodigies that are currently being developed. It is important to highlight the altruistic contribution of the astronomical community around the world in the creation of new infrastructures. It takes decades to build high-level telescopes. As an example, the idea of the James Webb Infrared Satellite (JWST) was first proposed in the 1990s; it was launched in 2021. These are ambitious, expensive, and very long-term projects involving several generations of engineering and astronomy specialists. The astronomical community that initially envisioned the JWST was no longer in academic activity when the first observations came in: they did it in the name of scientific progress.

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