MSV-2035 Astronomy Document - Inside Design - FINAL - FINAL

Astronomy & Astrophysics 70 5 MEGA SCIENCE PROJECTS IN ASTRONOMY - PRESENT AND FUTURE It is well recognised now that to address the scientific questions highlighted in Section 2, we need to have large (mega) science facilities. As illustrated in Figure 9 a typical mega science project requires expertise from a wide range of Science & Technology areas. The technical and monetary requirements are huge and such facilities can be envisaged only through large and often international and multi-institutional collaborations. Therefore, participating in a mega science project not only allows Indian astronomy community to perform top-end research at par with best in the world, but also allows the community (both scientists and industrial partners) to develop and/or acquire very high-end technology. Success of a mega project also depends strongly on the community development and how the project is managed. This Section summarises the various mega science projects at both international and national levels the Indian astronomy community is already engaged in and/or aspires to pursue in the near future. 5.1 Mega Projects where India is already a Partner To begin with, we summarise the status of various upcoming Mega Science Projects in A&A in which Indian astronomers are involved. Figure 9: Cartoon depicting the importance of handshake between various aspects of management, science & technology and education and public outreach for successful execution of aMega Science Project. MEGA SCIENCE VISION-2035