It was the pattern in the early years of radio astronomy which most likely will hold true even for today s projects. Improvements in materials allowed bigger radio telescopes to be constructed. Though the arrays of radio telescopes were constructed for interferometry purposes, there was still a desire to build large paraboloid dish that would increase sensitivity further. One feature of it inspired a group of scientists to build a stationary telescope roughly the same size. The Arecibo Radio Telescope located in Puerto Rico is 305 feet in diameter and carries this innovation - mesh plates instead of solid aluminum plates on its reflecting surface.
Less weight has to be supported, and it doesn t affect the incoming radio waves.
This meant that accuracy could be retained for a greater amount of time and that the plates wouldn t have to be replaced very often. The stability of the entire structure also depends on its geologic location. Radio astronomy technology could be the key to opening an interstellar dialogue in the future. Radio astronomy is a natural technology - that is, virtually any planetary atmosphere should be somewhat transparent to radio waves and civilizations capable of detecting radiation is almost certain to come across the radio part of the spectrum. A new method of looking at the sky had developed.