The birth of a Radio Telescope 30 times larger than Earth

Artist's impression of Spektr-R, the 10-meter space-borne antenna of the RadioAstron project. Credit: Lavochkin Association.

On 15 November 2011, the Effelsberg 100-meter radio telescope, together with three Russian and one Ukrainian telescope, took part in the first interferometric observations with the orbiting 10-meter antenna Spektr-R of the Russian RadioAstron project. 

The observations were made at a wavelength of 18 centimeters, targeting the distant, bright, and very compact quasar 0212+735. 

Interferometric signals have been successfully detected by the RadioAstron team between Spektr-R and the ground antennas, setting a new world record for the size of a radio interferometer and opening a new era in interferometric studies of cosmic radio emission.