The first European antenna for ALMA is handed over to the observatory

The first European antenna for ALMA is moved the short distance from the Site Erection Facility, where it was assembled, to the Operations Support Facility on one of the giant yellow ALMA transporter vehicles. The two sites are next to each other, at an altitude of 2900 metres in the foothills of the Chilean Andes. This short trip marks the handover of the antenna from the AEM Consortium (Thales Alenia Space, European Industrial Engineering, and MT-Mechatronics), who built it, to the ALMA Observatory. The antenna weighs about 95 tonnes, and its dish has a diameter of 12 metres. It joins other antennas provided by the North American and East Asian ALMA partners. After testing at the OSF, it will be moved up to the 5000-metre Chajnantor plateau, where the ALMA telescope is taking shape.

Credit:

ESO/S. Rossi

About the Image

Id:ann11022a
Type:Photographic
Release date:21 April 2011, 18:30
Related announcements:ann11022
Size:5184 x 3456 px

About the Object

Name:Atacama Large Millimeter/submillimeter Array
Type:Unspecified : Technology : Observatory : Telescope
Category:ALMA

Image Formats

Large JPEG
4.8 MB
Screensize JPEG
207.6 KB

Wallpapers

1024x768
280.5 KB
1280x1024
441.8 KB
1600x1200
622.4 KB
1920x1200
721.7 KB
2048x1536
985.4 KB