NASA’s Giant Radio Telescope Planned for Moon’s Dark Side

NASA is preparing to build a large radio telescope on the far side of the Moon. The goal is to protect humanity’s view of the universe from interference caused by the growing number of satellites orbiting Earth. The telescope, called the Lunar Crater Radio Telescope (LCRT), could begin construction in the 2030s if it receives full approval and funding.

Radio telescopes detect radio waves from space objects like stars, galaxies, and black holes. Unlike regular telescopes that use visible light, radio telescopes capture signals invisible to the human eye. The LCRT will be built inside a natural crater on the Moon, roughly 350 meters wide. It will operate without humans and be assembled entirely by robots.

NASA has identified a suitable crater on the Moon’s northern side, but the exact location remains secret. The project uses advanced technology that makes this large-scale telescope possible. The main reason for placing the telescope on the Moon is to avoid radio interference from satellites like SpaceX’s Starlink, which send out signals that disrupt Earth-based radio observations.

Experts warn that as the number of satellites increases, it will become harder to study faint cosmic signals from Earth. The far side of the Moon offers a quiet zone free from human-made radio noise. This allows scientists to observe very long radio waves blocked by Earth’s atmosphere. These waves are essential for studying the universe’s early period known as the cosmic dark ages when the universe was filled mainly with neutral hydrogen and dark matter.

This research could improve our understanding of important physics topics like dark matter, dark energy, and how the universe expanded after the Big Bang. The LCRT project began in 2020 with funding from NASA’s Innovative Advanced Concepts program and is now in its second phase. A small-scale model is being built for testing in California, and if successful, the project could receive more funding in 2026.

The estimated cost of the project is about $2.6 billion, which is a challenge due to NASA’s current budget limits. Still, many believe this telescope is vital for the future of radio astronomy as satellite interference grows. Smaller lunar radio studies have already started. In early 2024, a NASA instrument on a Moon lander collected radio data, but it was from the near side and dominated by Earth’s signals. This shows why the far side is a better location for such observations.

If completed, the Lunar Crater Radio Telescope will offer a clearer view of the universe’s earliest times and protect space observations from Earth’s growing technological noise. This project shows how space exploration is adapting to protect our understanding of the cosmos.