Peking University has announced plans to build Asia’s largest optical telescope. The EAST telescope will be built in two stages, with segment mirrors similar to those used on James Webb. The maximum size of the main mirror will be reached in 2030 and will be 8 m.

With the advent of telescopes in space, it may seem like the century of terrestrial optical telescopes is over. But it is not. The main obstacle to observations from Earth – the atmosphere – has been significantly corrected thanks to the advent of adaptive optics. It is also possible to build large telescopes on Earth that cannot be sent into space for a long time. After all, it is relatively easy to solve the problem of maintenance and repair not in space, but in terrestrial conditions.

The new EAST telescope (Expanding Aperture Segmented Telescope) will be built on the Tibetan Plateau at an altitude of 4,200 m. It will be built in two phases so that this scientific instrument can start working as soon as possible, so its main mirror is made of hexagonal pieces. In the first stage, the mirror will consist of 18 pieces and have a diameter of 6 m. In the second stage, 18 more pieces will be added along the outer contour and the mirror will be 8 m in size.

A two-stage approach will make it possible to start work on the telescope in 2024. Construction is expected to be completed in 2030. The work requires $69 to $84 million. The source does not say whether the telescope will have adaptive optics, but it is to be expected. The new telescope will also help China develop hundreds or even thousands of new technologies, from materials processing to systems for processing information obtained by the telescope. Each such vehicle – “James Webb” or China EAST – is primarily an advance in engineering and manufacturing skills, which gave a good impetus to the development of civilization.