Chinese scientists propose giant telescope on far side of moon to understand early cosmos

Scientists in China have proposed building a radio telescope array on the moon’s far side, which, if approved, could become the first operational lunar radio observatory.

The array would consist of 7,200 butterfly-shaped wire antennas to detect ultra-long wavelength cosmic signals that are blocked by the Earth’s atmosphere but are crucial for understanding the early universe, especially the period before the first stars turned on.

While United States scientists have previously proposed similar concepts, China’s version could be built within a decade, leveraging the country’s upcoming robotic and crewed lunar missions, as well as the China-led International Lunar Research Station that is set to take shape by 2035.

Spanning 30km (18.6 miles) with an effective collecting area of 0.1 sq km, the array would provide resolution and sensitivity high enough to help probe the so-called cosmic dark ages and discover more exoplanets, according to researchers from the China Academy of Space Technology in Xian and the Shanghai Astronomical Observatory.

“The construction of the array will be a highly complex engineering project, involving scientific instruments, relay satellites, robots, lunar surface logistics and communication networks,” the researchers wrote in the latest issue of Chinese Space Science and Technology.

“It will drive innovation across multiple fields, offering high scientific and technological value while strengthening China’s position in deep-space exploration and astronomical research.”