Perched in the foothills of the Tianshan Mountains, in the Chinese mainland's Xinjiang Uygur Autonomous Region, the main structure of a mega 110-meter radio telescope was capped this Sunday, marking a major milestone in one of the country's flagship science projects.
Weighing over 6,000 tonnes, the fully steerable dish will be able to sweep 75 percent of the celestial sphere, offering astronomers a new window into pulsars, galaxies and the mysteries of dark matter. Construction kicked off in September 2022, with final completion slated for 2028.
Next up: equipping the dish with ultra-sensitive receivers and rigorous system tests. Once online, it will join its big sister under construction in Jilin Province – a 120-meter marvel poised to become the world's largest steerable radio telescope.
Today, the United States' Green Bank Telescope in West Virginia holds the operational record with a 100 by 110-meter dish. But with two cutting-edge steerable arrays in the pipeline, the Chinese mainland aims to redefine radio astronomy in the next decade.
For young global citizens, entrepreneurs and changemakers tuning in, this project highlights how cross-border scientific ambitions and tech innovation converge, from remote deserts to international space labs. Stay curious and watch the sky unfold.
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Main structure of China's mega radio telescope capped in Xinjiang
cgtn.com
