Comments on: LIGO detects gravitational waves of largest black hole merger yet https://behindtheblack.com/behind-the-black/points-of-information/ligo-detects-gravitational-waves-of-largest-black-hole-merger-yet/ Mon, 14 Jul 2025 19:38:27 +0000 hourly 1 https://wordpress.org/?v=6.9.4 By: Mark Sizer https://behindtheblack.com/behind-the-black/points-of-information/ligo-detects-gravitational-waves-of-largest-black-hole-merger-yet/#comment-1608548 Mon, 14 Jul 2025 19:38:27 +0000 https://behindtheblack.com/?p=115534#comment-1608548 I’m not a huge fan of government funded science. I’m firmly behind the “build your own orbital telescopes” concept. However, LIGO is so insane that I don’t think private funding would have worked.

And it’s not a colossal design failure (see Mars Sample Return) or starting money on fire to get to orbit (see SLS).

It’s built and it works. No doubt maintenance costs are large, but the entire project is “impossible” (mirrors flat at atomic scale?!??!). I’d like to see this one continue.

If I have to choose between LIGO and LIGO + SLS, I suppose I favor killing LIGO, but reluctantly.

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