Local officials on the Hawaiian island of Maui have voted to oppose a U.S. military proposal to build new telescopes on the summit of Haleakala volcano. The U.S. Space Force and Air Force want to build a new facility on top of Maui’s highest peak to track objects in space. The Maui County Council passed a resolution opposing the project, highlighting the cultural significance of Haleakala’s summit as a sacred place for religious ceremonies, prayer, and connecting to ancestors, known as wao akua, or the ‘realm of the gods.’
The resolution pointed out that the Space Force has not completed cleaning up a 700-gallon diesel fuel spill at the site of one of its existing Haleakala telescopes. This spill occurred due to a pump failure during a lightning storm last year. The proposed new facility, known as AMOS STAR, would feature six telescopes enclosed in ground-mounted domes and one rooftop-mounted domed telescope. The county’s resolution urged the military to listen to community calls to stop their development efforts and called on various agencies to deny the project permits.
Haleakala’s peak offers clear skies and dry air, providing some of the world’s best conditions for viewing space, similar to the summit of Mauna Kea on the Big Island, which hosts several telescopes. With an elevation of 10,023 feet, Haleakala already houses multiple University of Hawaii observatories and a collection of Space Force telescopes known as the Maui Space Surveillance Complex. In 2017, protesters tried to block the construction of a new observatory on Haleakala, but the Daniel K. Inouye Solar Telescope was eventually built and released its first images in 2020.
The resolution passed by the Maui County Council underscores the importance of respecting the cultural and spiritual significance of Haleakala to Native Hawaiians. The summit is considered a sacred place for traditional practices and ceremonies, and the construction of new telescopes could disrupt these sacred activities. The vote to oppose the AMOS STAR project reflects the community’s concerns about potential environmental impact, as evidenced by the recent diesel fuel spill that has yet to be fully addressed.
Local opposition to the U.S. military’s proposal signals a broader pushback against observatory projects in Hawaii, with protests also taking place on Mauna Kea. Efforts to protect these sacred and environmentally significant sites indicate a growing awareness of the need to balance scientific exploration with cultural preservation and environmental stewardship. The resolution urges government agencies to consider these concerns before granting permits for the AMOS STAR facility on Haleakala, emphasizing the importance of community input and respect for indigenous cultural practices.
The debate over the U.S. military’s plan to build new telescopes on Haleakala highlights the complex relationship between scientific advancement, cultural heritage, and environmental conservation in Hawaii. As discussions continue and decisions are made regarding the AMOS STAR project, it will be crucial to consider the perspectives of all stakeholders, from local residents to indigenous communities, in order to find a balanced and sustainable path forward for astronomy research in the region. Ultimately, the resolution passed by the Maui County Council serves as a reminder of the importance of preserving and respecting the unique cultural and environmental resources of Hawaii’s sacred landscapes.
