Subscribe to one of our news e-mail lists . An organization searching for signs of advanced alien life unveiled a prototype this week of what could become one of the world's largest radio telescopes. The institute plans to complete a radar array that contains 1,000 satellite dishes or more.
Scientists hope the gigantic field of dishes can tune in to alien civilizations.
By coordinating the reception of the receivers, SETI researchers can greatly amplify their listening capability, said Jill Tartar , director of SETI research at the institute. Scientists will use the prototype to find signal processing solutions that deal with interference, especially from telecommunications satellites. The small dish field will also help researchers calibrate and develop software and hardware for the final array. Once completed, it will be the world's largest telescope devoted to the search for extraterrestrial intelligence and among the largest radio telescopes in the world. It will compare in signal collecting area to the Very Large Array in New Mexico, radio astronomy's premier imaging instrument.