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Jodrell Bank radiotelescope spared the axe

Colin Barker ZDNet.co.uk

Published: 10 Jul 2008 16:50 BST

Jodrell Bank radiotelescope spared the axe

The iconic radiotelescope at the Jodrell Bank Centre for Astrophysics, a symbol of scientific progress in the UK since the launch of Sputnik in 1957, has been spared from closure, it emerged on Tuesday.

The future of the research centre has been assured for the "medium and long-term future" after the government's Science and Technology Facilities Council (STFC) agreed to contribute towards the running costs of the centre in Cheshire. Reports had suggested the STFC had scheduled the centre for closure.

The cash will ensure two years' funding for the e-Merlin project, which comprises two telescopes at Jodrell Bank, as well as other telescopes around the country. e-Merlin is an upgrade to the UK's national radio observatory project, Merlin, which has been the only radiotelescope facility in the world capable of equalling the resolution of the Hubble space telescope.

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A press report in The Times last week said Jodrell Bank was included in a number of scheduled closures. Shortly afterwards, the STFC stated that The Times report was wrong to claim the centre was facing imminent closure and that no decision had been reached.

"To prevent this false information from spreading and to avoid unnecessary alarm, we would like to clarify… it is completely untrue to say that the Science and Technology Facilities Council has ignored the advice of the independent panels we commissioned in relation to our investment programme including Jodrell Bank," the STFC said in a press statement.

A university spokesman told the Press Association on Wednesday that "the long-term future of Jodrell Bank will be secured by a further commitment by the STFC to invest in the development of the next-generation facility in radio astronomy, the Square Kilometre Array".