The unique Russian space telescope “Millimetron” (Spektr-M project) will cost 100 times cheaper than the American telescope “James Webb”, as stated by the Deputy Director of the Physics Institute of the Russian Academy of Sciences Larisa Likhacheva.
“The cost of ‘James Webb’ is really incomparable. The difference is 100 times,” she said.
Thus, according to open data, NASA alone (without counting European and Canadian partners), spent about $11 billion on the James Webb mission, while, according to Likhacheva, the estimated cost of the Russian telescope will be about 20 billion rubles (in 2012th prices). In terms of today’s price, the scientist suggested that it would be necessary to add “another 15 billion” to the project. According to her, now 3.3 billion rubles have been allocated for the project development until 2025.
As specified, the Spektr-M observatory with a 10-metre space telescope is designed to study various objects of the Universe in the millimetre and infrared ranges at wavelengths from 0.02 to 17 millimetres. With its help, scientists expect to obtain data on the global structure of the Universe, the structure and evolution of galaxies, stars and planetary systems, as well as on organic compounds in space.
Ru-Main, 12.11.2021
Source: RIA Novosti
