麥克斯韋望遠鏡(James Clerk Maxwell Telescope)要被關閉了?

剛剛查找麥克斯韋望遠鏡(James Clerk Maxwell Telescope)的資料,發現英文維基百科上說這台望遠鏡要是今年(2014年)年底前找不到新的operator,就要關閉了。
是什麼原因被拋棄了啊?射電望遠鏡口徑太小?美國和加拿大不給預算了?

圖片來自運營方官網JCMT: James Clerk Maxwell Telescope


我問導師JCMT有沒有找到買家,他答了倆字,「we are」。。
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以下從官網複製粘貼過來的。
Update on JCMT Ownership


On 21st June 2013, I issued an Announcement of Opportunity soliciting Expressions of Interest in operating the JCMT as a UH-owned telescope following the planned withdrawal of STFC on 30th September 2014.

I am pleased to report that four Expressions of Interest were received: one each from the UK and Canadian communities, one from Purple Mountain Observatory, and one from the East Asian Core Observatories Association (EACOA). EACOA is an affiliation of four astronomical research institutes: ASIAA (Taiwan), NAOC (China), KASI (South Korea) and NAOJ (Japan).

EACOA and the UK and Canadian communities have agreed their intention to form a new partnership to operate the JCMT (the interest from Purple Mountain has been subsumed within EACOA). EACOA will be the lead partner. Funding initiatives are underway in the UK and Canada to support the continued participation of those communities.

EACOA submitted a full proposal to UH in April. The parties have now embarked on a process that would transfer the legal ownership of the JCMT from STFC to UH, and would set up a scientific cooperation agreement between UH and EACOA. The terms of these agreements are currently being negotiated between the parties and, on the UH side, would require approval by the Board of Regents. The goal is to finalise both of these agreements and complete the transfer of the telescope by 30th September.

Professor Gary Davis
Director, JCMT
9th June 2014


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