China's 'FAST' telescope to get new receiver: Report
Beijing, May 21: China's five hundred-meter Aperture Spherical Radio Telescope (FAST) -- the world's largest single-dish radio telescope -- will have a new receiver installed to boost its efficiency in surveying the sky, the media reported.
The 19-beam L-band receiver, first of its kind worldwide, is expected to be put into use in early June and it will increase FAST's survey speed by five to six times, Xinhua news agency reported.
The receiver was jointly developed by scientists from China and Australia. It weighs 1.2 tonne and costs about $3.14 million.
According to Jin Chengjin, chief engineer of FAST's receiver system, the new receiver is highly sensitive and will greatly improve FAST's efficiency in searching for new pulsars and spectral lines.
Its tasks include observation of pulsars, exploration of interstellar molecules, and monitoring interstellar communication signals, the report said.
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Indigo crisis: Shivakumar urges Centre to act immediately, bring situation under control
Bengaluru (PTI): With large scale flight cancellations by Indigo airlines leaving passengers stranded, Karnataka Deputy Chief Minister D K Shivakumar on Saturday urged the Centre to act immediately and bring the situation under control.
He called the IndiGo fiasco a the direct result of the govt's monopoly model.
Taking to social media platform 'X', Shivakumar said India is witnessing the worst aviation meltdown in its history. "Thousands of flights cancelled - leaving our people stranded everywhere".
"The IndiGo fiasco is the direct result of the govt's monopoly model. And as always, it is ordinary Indians who are paying the price," he said.
Shivakumar said that the Kempegowda International Airport in Bengaluru, which is India's 3rd busiest airport with nearly 40 million travellers a year, is in complete chaos.
"This is hurting families, businesses and our national reputation. I urge the Union Government to act immediately and bring this situation under control. Our people deserve better," he added.
Domestic carrier IndiGo cancelled over 800 flights on Saturday, the fifth day of the ongoing crisis, even as the government imposed a cap on airfares and directed the airline to process all refunds by Sunday evening.
