China's first large-scale general-purpose spectroscopic telescope JUST starts infrastructure construction

The JUST schematic diagram (Photo/Screenshot of the official website of the Shanghai Jiao Tong University Spectroscopic Telescope (JUST) project)

China's first large-scale general-purpose spectroscopic telescope – the Jiao Tong University Spectroscopic Telescope (JUST) project began infrastructure construction of the tower and control room on Wednesday.

Upon completion, the project is expected to fill a gap in China’s large-scale spectroscopic observation facilities in time-domain astronomy and make significant achievements in areas such as supernova explosions and exoplanet detection, Science and Technology Daily reported on Wednesday.

The 4.4-meter telescope is located at the Lenghu Astronomical Observation Base in the city of Mangya, Northwest China’s Qinghai Province, a location on the Qinghai-Xizang Plateau characterized by high altitude and a fragile ecological environment, with an average annual temperature of 4 C and a lowest temperature reaching -34 C.

It has been a major challenge to construct the project with high quality and efficiency, under such cold and high-altitude conditions without disturbing the environment.

After on-site surveys and comprehensive assessment, the construction team decided to use self-developed steel structure modular products to build the telescope tower and control room. A total of 64 steel structure modules will be used in the construction.

The modules will be manufactured and pre-assembled on an intelligent production line in the factory, and then will be transported to the construction site for installation.

With no welding or concrete pouring, the facility will be ready for use once the modules are hoisted and assembled on-site. Compared to traditional concrete buildings, this approach can shorten construction time by 50 percent, reduce construction waste by 80 percent, and save 70 percent on water and electricity consumption.

To withstand the large temperature differences between day and night on the plateau, the project uses exterior wall materials with excellent thermal insulation properties – as if giving the building a “down jacket” for protection.

The JUST telescope’s completion will mark a major milestone in China’s astronomical advancement, positioning it as a world-class “eye to the stars.” Additionally, JUST will complement other domestic telescopes, such as the Mozi (WFST) and Chinese Space Station Telescope (CSST), by providing essential follow-up spectroscopic observations of transient sources, helping scientists to better investigate their physical properties.