NASA has given a grant to study the concept of extraterrestrial radio telescope of unprecedented proportions. The special team received $125 thousand and the time until the end of the year to check all the conditions and facts and to prepare a plan for such a project. If he succeeds, it promises a breakthrough in fundamental science, robotics, spaceflight, the exploration of new worlds and other areas.
The idea of the project is to look at the dark side of the moon crater that can be used as a ready base for the hemispherical bowl of the radio telescope. Further, the robots are uniformly stretched along the bottom of the crater conductive wire to create a working field diameter of not less than 1 km, It is twice the size FAST, the biggest radio telescope. In the center of the pan will be the receiver, and on the lunar orbit relay satellite signal to Earth.
To build such a device would have certainly on the opposite side of the moon. First, you need to place the equipment away from the Ground and littered the near-earth space. Second, the Moon will act as a natural screen of the earth’s radiation and the radio telescope will be able to work in ideal conditions. In particular, to explore the Universe in the wavelengths of 10-50 m, in the frequency range of 6-30 MHz, which will allow you to learn much more about her past.
It is assumed that the entire project, from the search of the crater to the operation of the radio telescope will be automated. This will avoid shipping costs to the moon people, will reduce costs and protect the entire project. In NASA hopes that such a global idea will spur progress in other areas of science.
Source — NASA