Breathtaking views

Located some 5000 metres above sea level in Chile, the Array Operations Site (AOS) of the Atacama Large Millimeter/submillimeter Array (ALMA) boasts striking views of the Atacama Desert through its many windows.

The AOS is the basecamp for the everyday routine operations of the ALMA facility and the second highest building in the world. The AOS Technical Building also houses the ALMA correlator — the highest-altitude supercomputer in the world! The air is so thin at this altitude that the correlator’s fan system requires twice the usual airflow to keep it cool.

Construction of the AOS Technical Building started in October 2005, and all interior work was completed in summer 2007. This image shows a view from the exterior of the building, while this video shows an aerial shot taken during ALMA’s construction.