Former Google CEO Eric Schmidt and his wife, Wendy, have announced an ambitious project that could reshape space observation. The Lazuli Space Observatory, unveiled at the American Astronomical Society meeting, aims to become the largest privately funded space telescope ever. With a 3.1-meter mirror, Lazuli surpasses NASA’s Hubble Telescope in size while offering a range of high-tech instruments for studying exoplanets and supernovae.
The Schmidt Observatory System, including ground-based observatories, emphasizes open science, enabling global access to data. Lazuli, along with other telescopes in the system, is expected to be operational by the end of the decade, marking a significant milestone in private space exploration.
Source: The Verge