Useful life of astrophysical scientific facilities

P. Márquez, O. Martínez, J.M. Miranda

World Journal of Engineering and Technology Vol. 9, nº. 4, pp. 804 - 815

Resumen:

Large-scale astrophysical facilities have become increasingly relevant in certain key areas of scientific research but typically require strong financial investments. It is, therefore, crucial to gain a deep understanding of what could be a foreseeable lifespan of a given instrument before providing the required fund to build it. In this paper, we intend to contribute to this understanding with a study of the lifespan of past, current and future observatories and telescopes. The methodology has been based on the compilation of relevant data from twenty telescopes, three of them mounted on space satellites and the other seventeen distributed worldwide. An analysis of the main limiting factors that affect the lifetime of an astrophysical facility is also presented.

Palabras Clave: Lifespan, Obsolescence, Astrophysical Instruments, Telescopes

Referencia DOI: https://doi.org/10.4236/wjet.2021.94056

Publicado en papel: Noviembre 2021.

Publicado on-line: Noviembre 2021.

Cita:
P. Márquez, O. Martínez, J.M. Miranda, Useful life of astrophysical scientific facilities. World Journal of Engineering and Technology. Vol. 9, nº. 4, pp. 804 - 815, Noviembre 2021. [Online: Noviembre 2021]