Final answer:
It is true that constructing huge mirrors is one of the biggest challenges in building next-generation ground-based telescopes. Projects like the Thirty-Meter Telescope and the European Extremely Large Telescope require assembling many smaller mirrors to form a single large effective one.
Step-by-step explanation:
The statement that one of the biggest challenges in building the next generation of ground-based telescopes is in constructing the huge mirrors is true. The process of designing and creating ground-based telescopes like the Thirty-Meter Telescope and the European Extremely Large Telescope (E-ELT) involves the assembly of many smaller hexagonal mirrors to form a single, large effective mirror because a single mirror of such size is technically impossible to build and transport. The E-ELT, for instance, will have a 39.3-meter primary mirror made up of 798 hexagonal mirrors, each 1.4 meters in diameter. These large mirrors are necessary to collect more light and resolve distant celestial objects with greater detail. However, the challenges associated with building these mirrors are quite significant due to their size, weight, and the need for them to be precisely aligned to function as one.