China Begins Construction of FAST Core Array to Enhance Astronomical Observation Capability

China has embarked on the construction of the testing prototype for the Five-hundred-meter Aperture Spherical Radio Telescope (FAST) Core Array. This project aims to significantly improve the astronomical observation capabilities of the FAST telescope, also known as the China Sky Eye.

The construction began with the installation of a 40-meter aperture antenna on a hilltop near the existing FAST site in Guizhou Province. This marks the initial step in building a network of 24 such antennas within a 5-kilometer radius around FAST.

The FAST Core Array will function as a synthesis aperture array when combined with FAST, effectively turning FAST into a telescope with a much larger aperture. This will significantly enhance its observation capability, allowing it to see farther and with greater clarity.

The enhanced capabilities of the FAST Core Array will expand scientific research opportunities in various fields, including gravitational wave events, fast radio bursts, gamma-ray bursts, supernovae, and black hole tidal disruption events. Additionally, it will play a role in deep space exploration, near-Earth object early warning, and deep space satellite communications, providing strategic support for China's aerospace sector.

FAST, the world's largest single-dish and most sensitive radio telescope, has already achieved numerous breakthroughs in pulsar discovery, fast radio bursts, and nanohertz gravitational waves. The addition of the FAST Core Array promises to further advance China's astronomical research and exploration endeavors.