When it comes to philanthropy and space exploration, former Google CEO Eric Schmidt is aiming straight for the stars—quite literally. Together with his wife, Wendy Schmidt, he’s pouring half a billion dollars into a stunning new project that’ll replace the Hubble Space Telescope with a brand-new set of observatories, including a flagship telescope named Lazuli. This new wonder is designed to outperform its predecessor with enhanced optical capabilities and a larger mirror—because who doesn’t want a better view of the universe?
With an ambitious plan to launch as soon as late 2028, Schmidt Sciences is taking on this project independently to sidestep the infamous delays associated with NASA. Forget waiting years for government approval—this philanthropic duo is on a mission to provide answers about the cosmos without the usual bureaucratic hang-ups. If successful, their initiative could breathe new life into our understanding of the galaxy and get people looking skyward again—who knew a billionaire’s plan could be so out of this world?
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Local Lawton
Local Lawton is a contributor to LocalBeat, covering local news and community stories.
