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The Sky's Eye Hidden in the Mountains: How was FAST built?
Nestled in the lush mountains of China’s Guizhou Province lies a remarkable scientific wonder – the Five-hundred-meter Aperture Spherical Radio Telescope (FAST), also known as the “Eye of the Sky.” It is not only the world's largest filled-aperture radio telescope, but also a unique engineering and technological achievement that symbolizes China's ambitions in astronomy.
Review of the construction process
The construction of FAST began in 2011. After years of planning and preparation, it finally began official operation in 2020. During this process, a total of nearly 3 billion RMB was spent, and it involved the relocation of personnel and environmental protection. More than 9,000 villagers were relocated for scientific research purposes to create an interference-free area suitable for radio observations, which was undoubtedly a difficult decision.
Located in a natural basin, FAST has a diameter of 500 meters, and its huge circular reflection cavity becomes a window for focusing endless signals from the universe.
Technological innovation
More than 4,500 metal panels were used in the construction of FAST, and the active surface design allows the shape to be adjusted at any time to ensure the best observation effect. This dynamic design is a highlight of FAST, enabling it to follow wireless signals in different directions in real time. The receiving antenna suspended above the radio telescope can be moved automatically by an electric pulley system, which makes long-distance observations more convenient.
"FAST has rewritten the design rules for radio telescopes. Its active surface technology has greatly improved the accuracy of cosmic exploration."
First Observations and Discoveries
In September 2016, FAST had its first bright observation. In the following years, FAST successfully detected multiple pulsars, and the initial discovery even attracted widespread international attention. These new pulsars not only advance science's understanding of the universe, but also pave the way for future research.
"From 2017 to 2021, FAST has discovered an astonishing number of pulsars, demonstrating its powerful observational capabilities."
Scientific tasks and objectives
FAST's scientific missions include, but are not limited to, the Large Neutral Hydrogen Survey, pulsar observations, and the search for signals from extraterrestrial intelligence. Through these studies, FAST is not only committed to revealing the mysteries of the universe, but also hopes to make breakthroughs in the search for extraterrestrial intelligent life.
Environmental considerations and challenges
To ensure the accuracy of observations, FAST requires residents of surrounding rural areas to relocate and prohibits the use of mobile phones and other devices that emit wireless signals in the area. This measure has caused a lot of controversy because it poses social and economic challenges for the sake of scientific research. But is such a trade-off worth it for scientific exploration?
"The contradiction between scientific and technological progress and social development often tests the wisdom of scientists and policy makers."
The future of FAST
With the continuous updating of technology, FAST's business is still expanding, and it is expected to collaborate with more of the world's top scientists to conduct research in the future. Future plans call for the addition of multiple radio telescopes to further enhance observational resolution, which will bring new possibilities for human exploration of the universe.
However, in this vast universe, mankind's journey of exploration continues. Can we unravel the deeper mysteries of the universe?
