Project description
Advancing the design of a new, sustainable astronomical facility
The future of European ground-based astronomical research in the 2030s is set to be expansive, featuring a variety of facilities aimed at exploring the cosmos in synergy with each other. However, significant gaps remain, particularly in sensitive, high-resolution (sub-)millimetre observatories, essential for studying a wide array of astrophysical phenomena. Also, current plans fall short of addressing the urgent need for sustainable, low-emission operations, aligning with the EU’s carbon-neutral aspirations. With this in mind, the EU-funded AtLAST2 project will advance the 50-metre Atacama Large Aperture Submillimetre Telescope (AtLAST). By leveraging European expertise and global collaboration, AtLAST2 will enhance technological readiness, prototype innovative solutions and ensure a greener future for astronomical research while deepening our understanding of the (sub-)millimetre universe.
Objective
The landscape of future ground-based European astronomical research infrastructures expected to start in the 2030s is broad and diverse, ranging from low-frequency radio (SKAO), to the optical (ELT, EST), all the way to cosmic rays (CTAO) and gravitational waves (Einstein Telescope). There are two glaring omissions, however. The first is a sensitive, high resolution next-generation facility operating at (sub-)millimeter wavelengths (0.35-10 mm), a crucial observing window for the study of a broad range of astrophysical objects, from our Solar System to the Milky Way, nearby galaxies, and the distant universe. The second is that currently planned facilities are not truly prepared to operate in a low carbon emissions future, meeting the needs of the research community and the aspirations of the EU for carbon-neutrality. This project, consolidating the plans for the 50-meter Atacama Large Aperture Submillimeter Telescope (AtLAST), directly addresses both needs, providing solutions that will inform other observatories along the way, especially our partners ESFRI landmark (ESO-ELT) and project (EST). Our ambition is to harness European knowhow and cooperate on a global scale to revolutionise our understanding of the (sub-)mm universe, while pushing observational astronomy towards a greener future. Strengthened by a H2020-funded design study and an engaged community of about 200 researchers worldwide, we have produced science cases, telescope conceptual designs, and plans for a sustainable, off-grid power system. We are now ready to consolidate the AtLAST concept, prototype and test our technology solutions, perform a full lifecycle assessment of the facility, and to expand our user community. By the end of this project, AtLAST will have increased the technology readiness level of its crucial components and undergone preliminary design review, ready to move the project to its implementation phase.
Fields of science (EuroSciVoc)
CORDIS classifies projects with EuroSciVoc, a multilingual taxonomy of fields of science, through a semi-automatic process based on NLP techniques.
CORDIS classifies projects with EuroSciVoc, a multilingual taxonomy of fields of science, through a semi-automatic process based on NLP techniques.
- engineering and technologyenvironmental engineeringenergy and fuelsrenewable energy
- natural sciencesphysical sciencesastronomyobservational astronomyradio astronomy
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Programme(s)
Funding Scheme
HORIZON-RIA - HORIZON Research and Innovation ActionsCoordinator
0313 Oslo
Norway
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Participants (14)
85748 Garching
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28359 Bremen
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38205 San Cristobal De La Laguna
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SN2 1FL Swindon
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80539 Munchen
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00136 Roma
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28040 Madrid
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50931 Koln
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0002 Pretoria
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CF24 0DE Cardiff
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2628 CN Delft
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28006 Madrid
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412 96 Goteborg
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38205 San Cristóbal de La Laguna
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Partners (5)
Partner organisations contribute to the implementation of the action, but do not sign the Grant Agreement.
1772 Grolley
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The organization defined itself as SME (small and medium-sized enterprise) at the time the Grant Agreement was signed.
Partner organisations contribute to the implementation of the action, but do not sign the Grant Agreement.
113 8656 Tokyo
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Partner organisations contribute to the implementation of the action, but do not sign the Grant Agreement.
464 8601 Nagoya
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Partner organisations contribute to the implementation of the action, but do not sign the Grant Agreement.
090-8507 Kitami
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Partner organisations contribute to the implementation of the action, but do not sign the Grant Agreement.
181-8588 Tokyo
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