Press Release
AtLAST is followed by AtLAST 2
OHB Digital Connect once again part of EU project to develop next-generation 50-meter radio telescope
Bremen, June 2, 2025 : Development work on the Atacama Large Aperture Submillimeter Telescope (AtLAST) is entering the next round to open up revolutionary new observation possibilities for astronomical research.
A consortium consisting of the University of Oslo, the European Southern Observatory (ESO), the Max Planck Institute for Radio Astronomy (MPIfR), UK Research and Innovation (UKRI), the National Institute for Astrophysics (INAF) and OHB Digital Connect GmbH is leading fifteen contributors funded by the European Union and five associated partners in the next phase of developing a future radio telescope with a 50-meter reflector, which is set to be installed on the Chajnantor plateau in the Chilean Atacama Desert within the next decade.
The telescope will be able to detect electromagnetic waves in the (sub)millimeter range from 10 mm to 350 μm and map the sky in a short time with its large field of view. This will provide astronomical research with unprecedented observation possibilities and thus access to groundbreaking new insights into our solar system, the Milky Way and the depths of the universe.
The kick-off meeting for the project recently took place in Cagliari, Sardinia, at the invitation of INAF. During the event, the project partners had the opportunity to visit the nearby Sardinia Radio Telescope (SRT), which is being made available by INAF for feasibility studies as part of AtLAST 2. The SRT was built over fifteen years ago by OHB Digital Connect's predecessor company, MT Mechatronics, and is currently undergoing an upgrade for deep-space communications.
The first AtLAST study was successfully conducted from 2021 to 2024. In the second phase of development, which has now begun, OHB Digital Connect is focusing on consolidating the design concept and demonstrating critical technologies.
In addition to technological development and furthering the telescope's scientific objectives, emphasis is placed on the project's sustainability. One of the project consortium's declared aims is to reduce the telescope's negative impact on the environment by using sustainable technologies and improving the observatory's energy efficiency.
When building the energy infrastructure, the needs of the people living nearby are considered in order to ensure the fair use of resources and thus promote social acceptance of the project.
Disclaimer
Funded by the European Union.
AtLAST has received funding from the European Union's Horizon Europe and Horizon 2020 research and innovation programs under grant agreements No. 101188037 and No. 951815.
Views and opinions expressed are however those of the author(s) only and do not necessarily reflect those of the European Union or European Research Executive Agency. Neither the European Union nor the European Research Executive Agency can be held responsible for them.
About OHB Digital Connect
OHB Digital Connect is a subsidiary of the Bremen-based space and technology group OHB SE.
Our mission: We establish the connection between the ground and space and bring satellite data into application.
We.Connect.Space.
Media Contact
Pia Bausch
Corporate Communications
Phone: +49 421 2020 6511
Email: pia.bausch@ohb.de