By South China Morning Post | Created at 2025-03-14 21:46:20 | Updated at 2025-03-15 01:08:15
3 hours ago
A planned Chinese observatory in Chile’s Atacama Desert is facing possible cancellation after US officials in recent months have raised concerns about its potential military applications.
The Chilean government is now reviewing the project and has not ruled out blocking the agreement between a local university and the National Astronomical Observatory of China (NAOC).
Estimated to cost around US$80 million, the observatory was to be built on Cerro Ventarrones, a prime site for astronomical studies in Antofagasta, northern Chile.
The project materialised through a partnership with Chile’s Universidad Católica del Norte and was to form a key part of China’s broader space strategy, which includes similar initiatives in Argentina and Venezuela.
The plan was for the facility to host some 100 telescopes, focusing on tracking deep-space astronomical events and near-Earth objects such as asteroids and comets. Chilean scientists were to have limited access to the facilities but could engage in joint research with Chinese researchers.
