Giant Magellan Telescope Advances to National Science Foundation Final Design Phase

The University of Texas at Austin is on track for huge leaps forward in astronomy research capabilities. The Giant Magellan Telescope (GMT) has received official approval from the National Science Foundation (NSF) confirming that the observatory will advance into its Major Facilities Final Design Phase, one of the final steps before becoming eligible for federal construction funding. This critical milestone recognizes the Giant Magellan’s scientific merit, construction progress, and alignment with U.S. priorities in science and technology.

Backed by nearly $1 billion in private funding — the largest private investment ever made in ground-based astronomy —  the Giant Magellan is built by an international consortium of 15 universities and research institutions, including The University of Texas at Austin and Texas A&M University.

"This approval from NSF, combined with the resources provided by the GMT partner institutions, including The University of Texas at Austin, brings our faculty, students, and researchers one step closer to having access to the uniquely powerful scientific tool that is the Giant Magellan Telescope,” said Taft Armandroff, Director of the University’s McDonald Observatory and Vice Chair of the GMT Organization’s Board of Directors. “GMT will be the pinnacle of our toolkit of astronomical resources, which also includes the telescopes at McDonald Observatory in West Texas." 

The Giant Magellan is already under construction, with major components manufactured and tested in facilities across 36 states in the U.S., including the development of the GMT Near-Infrared Spectrograph (GMTNIRS) led by The University of Texas at Austin. GMTNIRS is one of the first four primary scientific instruments for the Giant Magellan Telescope. It is a single-object near-infrared to mid-infrared echelle spectrograph that provides an extraordinary spectral multiplex advantage through simultaneous coverage of the infrared spectral bands. By developing instrumentation at partner institutions, GMT leverages existing world-class instrument design and fabrication expertise.

These optical technologies will empower scientists worldwide, offering unparalleled insights into the evolution of the universe, the origins of chemical elements, and the composition of distant exoplanets.

“What a great moment for the future of American astronomy,” said Dr. Robert Shelton, President of the Giant Magellan Telescope. “The NSF’s decision to advance us into its Final Design Phase reaffirms the strength of our observatory and the decades of preparation by our dedicated team. With significant construction already underway across the United States and at our site in Chile, this milestone positions our nation to lead the next era of discovery. We greatly appreciate the NSF’s vote of confidence and its continued commitment to maintaining American leadership in science, engineering, and precision manufacturing.”

Strategically located in Chile’s Atacama Desert, the Giant Magellan occupies one of the most scientifically valuable observing sites on Earth. Chile offers more than 300 clear nights each year, exceptional atmospheric stability, and direct access to the southern sky and the galactic center of the Milky Way. The observatory amplifies billions in existing NSF investments in Chile, including the Vera C. Rubin Observatory, ALMA, and Gemini South, forming the cornerstone of a U.S.-led, multi-decade astronomical strategy in the Southern Hemisphere. 

“This is more than an investment in a telescope,” said Dr. Walter Massey, Board Chair of the Giant Magellan Telescope and former NSF Director. “It is a strategic necessity for the United States to maintain leadership in astrophysics, engineering, and artificial intelligence. The Giant Magellan Telescope will work in synergy with billions of dollars already invested in U.S. research facilities around the world, creating a powerful ecosystem of tools that ensure American scientists have the best resources to lead discovery.”

The Giant Magellan Telescope is committed to the science goals of the U.S. Extremely Large Telescope Program, the top-ranked priority in the National Academies’ 2020 Decadal Survey on Astronomy and Astrophysics. The report called the program “absolutely essential if the United States is to maintain a position as a leader in ground-based astronomy.”