Chinese scientists plan to build a massive radio telescope array on the far side of the Moon by 2035. The project involves constructing 7,200 butterfly-shaped wire antennas arranged in a circular formation with a diameter of 30 kilometers.
The array will work in synchronized fashion to collect cosmic signals from a wide area, providing information about the primitive universe before the formation of the first stars. The far side of the Moon is considered the best place to capture long-wave signals, making it ideal for studying the early universe.
If approved, the endeavor will make China the first country to operate a radio telescope on the Moon, marking humanity's first operational lunar radio observatory. The construction is described as a complex engineering project requiring scientific instruments, relay satellites, robots, lunar surface logistics, communication networks, and technologies including rocket transport, as stated by the research team in the journal Chinese Space Science and Technology.
The project will be carried out in several phases, leveraging China's upcoming lunar missions like Chang'e-7 and Chang'e-8, targeted for launch in 2026 and 2028, respectively, and supported by the China-led International Lunar Research Station, expected to become operational by 2035. The first phase, lasting one to three years, will involve deploying 16 experimental antennas in a 4×4 configuration.
The second stage, scheduled for three to five years, involves astronauts installing the central part of the network, composed of 100 antennas, using a multi-rocket, multi-payload transport strategy. The third phase will see the full deployment of the remaining antennas, with support from China's lunar research base, which it aims to build in collaboration with Russia.
The lunar telescope will have the capacity to detect ultra-low frequency radio waves (0.1–30 MHz), addressing the limitations faced by Earth-based networks in detecting such signals due to atmospheric interference. The antennas will be deployed through lander-based deployment or robotic assembly, and astronauts will assemble the antennas during extravehicular activities.
Building such a network on the lunar surface is not a simple task, and China will face considerable logistical and technical challenges related to installing equipment on rugged terrain. The far side of the Moon's landscape poses difficulties in finding a flat construction site suitable for the array.
Several nations have initiated projects to establish telescopes on the far side of the Moon, including NASA's proposal for a lunar telescope in a crater. However, China's project could be realized within ten years, leveraging the country's upcoming robotic and crewed lunar missions.
If actualized, the lunar telescope project will strengthen China's position in deep space exploration and astronomical research, contributing to the global interest in radio astronomy and driving innovation across multiple fields. Researchers from the China Academy of Space Technology and the Shanghai Astronomical Observatory believe this project will help reconstruct the evolution of the cosmos.
The article was written with the assistance of a news analysis system.