{"id":159103,"date":"2025-07-29T13:12:22","date_gmt":"2025-07-29T13:12:22","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/teknomers.com\/en\/china-is-constructing-the-largest-telescope-in-the-world-the-question-is-why-it-is-being-done-in-secret\/"},"modified":"2025-07-29T13:12:24","modified_gmt":"2025-07-29T13:12:24","slug":"china-is-constructing-the-largest-telescope-in-the-world-the-question-is-why-it-is-being-done-in-secret","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/teknomers.com\/en\/china-is-constructing-the-largest-telescope-in-the-world-the-question-is-why-it-is-being-done-in-secret\/","title":{"rendered":"China is constructing the largest telescope in the world. The question is why it is being done in secret."},"content":{"rendered":"\n<h2>China&#8217;s Stealthy Endeavor: The Construction of a Massive Telescope<\/h2>\n<p>In the \u00a0select club\u00a0 of first-level astronomical observatories, information about new projects is usually leaked or announced well in advance, often generating \u00a0hype\u00a0 and speculation for years. However, China is taking a markedly different approach by quietly constructing a gigantic telescope measuring \u00a014.5 meters\u00a0 on the Tibetan plateau, without any official announcement. This unusual secrecy has raised eyebrows everywhere, from industry experts to bureaucrats in Washington.<\/p>\n<p><!-- BREAK 1 --><\/p>\n<p><strong>US Suspicions<\/strong>. An article from the <a rel=\"noopener, noreferrer nofollow\" href=\"https:\/\/www.wsj.com\/world\/china\/a-cosmic-mystery-is-china-building-the-worlds-biggest-telescope-d436cdef\" target=\"_blank\">Wall Street Journal<\/a> has sparked significant intrigue. A telescope of that magnitude not only stands to \u00a0rival\u00a0 the most powerful observatories in the West but, if completed on schedule, it would temporarily hold the title of the \u00a0largest terrestrial optical telescope\u00a0 in the world.<\/p>\n<p><!-- BREAK 2 --><\/p>\n<p>The central question that resonates in places like \u00a0Harvard University\u00a0 and \u00a0NASA\u00a0 is not whether China is constructing this telescope, but rather, why they are \u00a0doing it under the radar\u00a0.<\/p>\n<div class=\"article-asset article-asset-normal article-asset-center\">\n<div class=\"desvio-container\">\n<div class=\"desvio\">\n<div class=\"desvio-figure js-desvio-figure\"><\/div>\n<\/p><\/div>\n<\/p><\/div>\n<\/div>\n<p><strong>Clues from China<\/strong>. Robert Kirshner, an Emeritus Professor at Harvard and a leader of the \u00a0Thirty Meter Telescope\u00a0 (TMT) project\u2014an initiative that Spain is now interested in\u2014has taken on the role of a detective in this unfolding mystery. The clues, while not overt, are \u00a0compelling\u00a0:<\/p>\n<p><!-- BREAK 3 --><\/p>\n<ul>\n<li>In \u00a0January\u00a0, the state-owned company Nanjing Astronomical Instruments announced on social media that it won a \u00a0$22 million contract\u00a0 to build the dome of a telescope featuring a \u00a014.5-meter mirror\u00a0.<\/li>\n<li>In \u00a0April\u00a0, some students visiting a scientific institute reported seeing configurations for mirrors tailored for a telescope of that specific size.<\/li>\n<li>A prominent Chinese astronomer conveyed to state media that one of his goals was to finish &#8220;the \u00a014.5-meter telescope\u00a0&#8221; before his retirement.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<p><strong>Beijing&#8217;s Low Profile<\/strong>. Uncharacteristically, Chinese institutions have refrained from the typical \u00a0triumphalism\u00a0 associated with major technological achievements. China, which often celebrates milestones in space exploration, has opted for a notably low profile regarding this telescope.<\/p>\n<p><!-- BREAK 4 --><\/p>\n<p><strong>A Clear Trace of Tenders<\/strong>. While technical documents are scattered, they collectively paint a clear picture of an advanced development project. The most visible component\u2014a \u00a0dome\u00a0\u2014has already been announced in a public tender issued by the <a rel=\"noopener, noreferrer nofollow\" href=\"https:\/\/www.oitccas.com\/pages\/tender_online_info.html?FormNo=ZBLX24100207\" target=\"_blank\">Chinese Academy of Sciences<\/a>, which is seeking bids for the &#8220;Project for the Acquisition of the Dome of the Optical\/Infrared Telescope of 14.5 m,&#8221; with a deadline set for \u00a0November 2024\u00a0.<\/p>\n<p><!-- BREAK 5 --><\/p>\n<p>Additionally, a memorandum from the <a rel=\"noopener, noreferrer nofollow\" href=\"https:\/\/nao.cas.cn\/news\/tz\/202503\/P020250306542884918586.pdf\" target=\"_blank\">China National Astronomical Observatory<\/a> justifies the purchase of \u00a0infrared detectors\u00a0, describing the project as &#8220;a grand astronomical telescope to achieve top-tier science and technology.&#8221; Job postings for personnel involved in the construction have also surfaced, indicating a transition from design to construction.<\/p>\n<p><!-- BREAK 6 --><\/p>\n<p><strong>Why the Secrecy?<\/strong> Matt Mountain, the president of the \u00a0Aura\u00a0 organization that manages NASA&#8217;s Hubble and James Webb observatories, presents two intriguing hypotheses. The first relates to \u00a0military applications\u00a0: a telescope capable of capturing detailed images of distant galaxies might also be used to surveil enemy satellites with \u00a0unprecedented clarity\u00a0. Thus, the domain of space becomes just as much a \u00a0strategic concern\u00a0 as a scientific one.<\/p>\n<p><!-- BREAK 7 --><\/p>\n<p>The second hypothesis regards a longer-term pursuit of \u00a0technological leadership\u00a0. Mountain aptly notes, &#8220;Astronomy is the gateway drug to science, technology, engineering, and mathematics&#8221; (STEM). By investing in visionary projects like this massive telescope, China aims to inspire a new generation of STEM students, ultimately working toward surpassing the United States in technological prowess in upcoming decades.<\/p>\n<p><!-- BREAK 8 --><\/p>\n<p><strong>Significance of the Telescope<\/strong>. To fully grasp the \u00a0magnitude\u00a0 of this project, one must consider its context. The \u00a0Hubble Space Telescope&#8217;s\u00a0 mirror measures just 2.4 meters, while the \u00a0James Webb Telescope\u00a0 boasts a size of 6.5 meters. The four largest optical telescopes on Earth have diameters around 10 meters. If China succeeds in completing its \u00a014.5-meter telescope\u00a0, it will dwarf all existing observatories until the next generation emerges.<\/p>\n<p><!-- BREAK 9 --><\/p>\n<p>Currently, the \u00a0Thirty Meter Telescope\u00a0 is a hot topic, particularly after the U.S. faced setbacks due to budget cuts. Spain has recently pledged \u00a0400 million euros\u00a0 to facilitate its construction on the island of La Palma in the Canary Islands, although the final location remains undecided.<\/p>\n<p><!-- BREAK 10 --><\/p>\n<p>Image | Universidad de Pek\u00edn<\/p>\n<p>In recent explorations into astronomy, a 3,200-megapixel camera has managed to capture the heavens in a mere ten hours, equivalent to several years of work. As the astronomical community watches closely, the implications of China&#8217;s stealth project might create ripples far beyond its borders.<\/p>\n<p><br \/>\n<br \/><a href=\"https:\/\/teknomers.com\/category\/general\/\" rel=\"dofollow\">General News &#8211; 2<\/a><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>China&#8217;s Stealthy Endeavor: The Construction of a Massive Telescope In the \u00a0select club\u00a0 of first-level astronomical observatories, information about new projects is usually leaked or announced well in advance, often generating \u00a0hype\u00a0 and speculation for years. However, China is taking a markedly different approach by quietly constructing a gigantic telescope measuring \u00a014.5 meters\u00a0 on the [&hellip;]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":159104,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[36399],"tags":[2397,37946,1549,4812,1448,4371,110],"class_list":["post-159103","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-technology","tag-china","tag-constructing","tag-largest","tag-question","tag-secret","tag-telescope","tag-world"],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/teknomers.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/159103","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/teknomers.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/teknomers.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/teknomers.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/1"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/teknomers.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=159103"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/teknomers.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/159103\/revisions"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/teknomers.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/159104"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/teknomers.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=159103"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/teknomers.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=159103"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/teknomers.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=159103"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}