Announcement – Page 33 – National Radio Astronomy Observatory

National Panel Strongly Endorses VLA Upgrade Plan

A project to expand the National Science Foundation’s famed Very Large Array radio telescope has received strong endorsement from a prestigious national panel of astronomers given the task of setting priorities for astronomical projects in the next decade.

National Academy of Science Continues Support of ALMA Project

A distinguished panel of scientists today announced their support for the continued funding of the Atacama Large Millimeter Array Project at a press conference given by the National Academy of Sciences.

ALMA Prototype Antenna Contracts Awarded

The US and European partners in the Atacama Large Millimeter Array project have awarded contracts to US and Italian firms, respectively, for two prototype antennas.

Closure of the 12-meter Telescope

The National Radio Astronomy Observatory will close down its millimeter-wavelength telescope on Kitt Peak, Arizona, in July 2000, Director Paul Vanden Bout announced today.

Science with ALMA Meeting

Two hundred astronomers from around the world will meet in Washington, DC on October 7 and 8 to discuss exciting new science to be done with the Atacama Large Millimeter Array (ALMA).

Radio Telescopes Joined by Longest Fiber-optic Link on Record

Scientists and engineers at the National Radio Astronomy Observatory (NRAO) have made a giant leap toward the future of radio astronomy by successfully utilizing the Very Large Array (VLA) radio telescope in conjunction with an antenna of the continent-wide Very Long Baseline Array (VLBA) using the longest fiber-optic data link ever demonstrated in radio astronomy.

The National Radio Astronomy Observatory is a facility of the U.S. National Science Foundation operated under cooperative agreement by Associated Universities, Inc.
	Founded in 1956, the NRAO provides state-of-the-art radio telescope facilities for use by the international scientific community. NRAO telescopes are open to all astronomers regardless of institutional or national affiliation. Observing time on NRAO telescopes is available on a competitive basis to qualified scientists after evaluation of research proposals on the basis of scientific merit, the capability of the instruments to do the work, and the availability of the telescope during the requested time. NRAO also provides both formal and informal programs in education and public outreach for teachers, students, the general public, and the media.
	The U.S. National Science Foundation (NSF) is an independent federal agency created by Congress in 1950 "to promote the progress of science; to advance the national health, prosperity, and welfare; to secure the national defense..."
	AUI collaborates with the scientific community and research sponsors to plan, build, and operate cutting-edge facilities. We cultivate excellence, deliver value, enhance education, and engage the public.