Write a comment
The construction of a survey telescope array, which will be mainly used to detect space debris in medium and high orbits, has begun in northwest China's Qinghai Province, taking advantage of the plateau region's clear night skies.
The multi-application survey telescope array, MASTA, developed by the Purple Mountain Observatory of the Chinese Academy of Sciences, is under construction in th The construction of a survey telescope array, which will be mainly used to detect space debris in medium and high orbits, has begun in northwest China's Qinghai Province, taking advantage of the plateau region's clear night skies.
The multi-application survey telescope array, MASTA, developed by the Purple Mountain Observatory of the Chinese Academy of Sciences, is under construction in the town of Lenghu, Qinghai, with an average altitude of 3,800 meters above sea level.
Slated for completion by 2023, the telescope's spectrum is expected to fill China's gap in this technology.
"The survey telescope array can detect small space debris and determine its orbit and operation law, thus providing early warnings and making it possible to avoid debris collisions threatening the safety of spacecraft," said Lei Chengming, a researcher at the Purple Mountain Observatory.
Tian Cairang, executive deputy director of the Lenghu Industrial Park Management Committee, said that Lenghu has become an astronomical observation base that now hosts six scientific research units and eight telescope projects. In the future, Lenghu is expected to become the largest astronomical observation base in China and a world-class astronomical research center.
The town, with a total area of 17,800 square km, is located 944 km away from Qinghai's capital of Xining. Its clear nights meet the conditions for a world-class observatory site.
Source: Xinhua News Agency
Related Links
Purple Mountain Observatory
Space Technology News - Applications and Research
|
| Tweet |
| Thanks for being there;
We need your help. The SpaceDaily news network continues to grow but revenues have never been harder to maintain. With the rise of Ad Blockers, and Facebook - our traditional revenue sources via quality network advertising continues to decline. And unlike so many other news sites, we don't have a paywall - with those annoying usernames and passwords. Our news coverage takes time and effort to publish 365 days a year. If you find our news sites informative and useful then please consider becoming a regular supporter or for now make a one off contribution. | ||
| SpaceDaily Monthly Supporter
$5+ Billed Monthly |  | SpaceDaily Contributor
$5 Billed Once credit card or paypal |
A new chapter for space sustainability
Boston MA (SPX) Jun 28, 2021
Each day, new and innovative space technologies are being developed in countries around the world, and with that, a steady stream of satellites, rockets, cargo ships, and crew vehicles are being launched into the Earth's orbit and beyond. So what happens to these systems when they come to the end of their functional life, or malfunction and break? Some are programmed to re-enter the Earth's atmosphere where, if all goes well, they incinerate safely upon entry. Some are programmed to use their last ... read more