Times Archive, 1952: Largest radio telescope

Hopes for the survival of the giant dish at Jodrell Bank were boosted when the observatory was offered the return of some funding.

The famous Lovell radiotelescope was under threat after the loss of money for a key project, e-Merlin, an upgrade that would have extended its life by at least a decade. Under pressure to close an £80 million shortfall in government funding, the Science and Technology Facilities Council (STFC) proposed pulling out of the project despite £8 million already having been spent. After a public outcry a reassessment of all STFC funded programmes was carried out and e-Merlin was lifted out of the category for projects which would lose all of their funding, but it refused to follow an independent panel's call for the project to be given one of the highest rankings.

Negotiations between the STFC and the University of Manchester, which runs Jodrell Bank, are under way and “some money” has now been offered. Despite this, further sources of cash would still be needed to secure the future of the observatory.

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