China News Service, Beijing, September 23 (Reporter Sun Zifa) reporter learned from the National Astronomical Observatory of the Chinese Academy of Sciences on September 23 that the "China Sky Eye" (500-meter Aperture Spherical Radio Telescope, English abbreviation FAST) built in Pingtang, Guizhou will celebrate its tenth anniversary in September 2026. It has achieved a series of scientific results with international influence in the research of pulsars, neutral hydrogen galaxies, fast radio bursts and gravitational waves, and has become one of the most important astronomical observation equipment in the world.
The academic exchange meeting for the 10th anniversary of the completion of the "China Sky Eye" was held at the site of the large scientific facility from September 22 to 24. More than 200 experts and scholars from more than 40 universities and scientific research institutions in China, including many academicians, gathered together to review the development process and important scientific research progress of the "China Sky Eye", jointly plan the future development blueprint of the "China Sky Eye", and work together to promote the high-quality development of China's radio astronomy industry.
Jiang Peng, deputy director of the National Astronomical Observatory of the Chinese Academy of Sciences and chief engineer of China Sky Eye, made an overall report on behalf of the team, systematically summarizing the achievements of China Sky Eye in the past ten years and future development plans. "China Sky Eye" user representatives gave special academic reports on cutting-edge fields such as fast radio bursts and transient sources, pulsars, neutral hydrogen observation, and core technology research.
As a major national science and technology infrastructure project approved by the National Development and Reform Commission during the 11th Five-Year Plan, since the completion of the "China Sky Eye" in September 2016, the National Astronomical Observatory project team of the Chinese Academy of Sciences has completed the commissioning of the telescope at a speed far exceeding the expectations of Chinese and foreign counterparts, and many original technologies have reached the international leading level. "China Sky Eye" passed national acceptance in January 2020. During the operation stage, the team adheres to an open, transparent, open and shared operation mechanism and solidly promotes high-quality open operation.
In the ten years since its completion, the "China Sky Eye" has continued to achieve breakthroughs in core technologies, delved into the frontier fields of astronomy, and made many achievements in the fields of engineering technology, cutting-edge science, and applications. Technological innovations in measurement and control technology methods, development of domestically produced steel wire ropes and high-performance receivers ensure the stable and efficient operation of the telescope.
So far, based on the "China Sky Eye" observation data, a total of 13 papers have been published in the main journals of the international academic journals "Science" and "Nature". The relevant results have been selected into the top ten scientific breakthroughs selected by "Science" twice, once selected into the top ten scientific discoveries by "Nature", and ten times won the top ten scientific and technological achievements in China, China's top ten scientific and technological progress news and other scientific and technological selections.
The National Astronomical Observatory of the Chinese Academy of Sciences stated that after ten years of hard work, the "China Sky Eye" team has promoted a historic leap in the field of radio astronomy in China, completing a leap-forward development from following and catching up to leading the world. It has steadily achieved the goals of "early results," "more results," and "good results," and is continuing to move toward "big results."
In the future, the team will continue to promote the second phase of the "China Sky Eye" project, continue to consolidate and enhance China's international leading position in the field of radio astronomy, rely on the stronger observation capabilities after the upgrade of the second phase of the project, continue to expand the boundaries of human understanding of the universe, and continue to produce more major original scientific achievements.
