Authorities from the National University of San Juan (UNSJ) categorically denied the versions disseminated in various national media about an alleged "drop" or cancellation of the Chinese-Argentine Radiotelescope (CART) project, which is in a very advanced stage of construction at the Carlos Cesco Astronomical Station, in El Barreal, Calingasta, San Juan.

The news, reported by El Destape Web and signed by the prestigious journalist Nora Bär , reflects the voice of the academic authorities who have the project under their control.

Jorge Castro , dean of the The Faculty of Exact, Physical, and Natural Sciences at the National University of San Juan (UNSJ ) confirmed that it has not received any official communication from the national government (neither from the Secretariat of University Policies, nor from the Secretariat of Science and Technology, nor from the Ministry of Foreign Affairs) indicating the discontinuation of the CART project. The dean stated that the information regarding the alleged cancellation could be based on "poor advice," emphasizing that the CART is a radio telescope for scientific and astrophysical research, not a "surveillance radar" as some reports suggested.

The project, unique in South America and considered a milestone for Argentine science, seeks to detect radiation from celestial objects, improve the geodetic accuracy of the southern hemisphere (vital for GPS and satellite tracking), and has an antenna 40 meters in diameter and 60 meters high.

Alarm within the scientific community arose after the agreement expired in June and was not renewed, prompting a statement from the Argentine Astronomical Association urging its resolution. Scientists such as radio astronomer Gloria Dubner have highlighted the purely scientific value of CART in astrophysics, geodynamics, and georeferencing, as well as the investment of over $36 million provided by China, along with contributions from the National University of San Juan (UNSJ), the National Scientific and Technical Research Council (CONICET), and the Province of San Juan.

Dean Castro, who traveled to Buenos Aires to discuss the situation of telescope materials held up in Customs , lamented the state of uncertainty, calling an unprecedented cancellation for a scientific project of this magnitude "unthinkable" .

Why is CART strategic and what is lost with its brake?

The CART project, beyond the current political tension, represents a scientific and technological advancement of strategic value for Argentina and the Southern Hemisphere. Its potential interruption is seen by the scientific community as "scienticide" and a loss of a unique opportunity.

1. Unique Scientific Objectives and Regional Leadership

CART, with its imposing parabolic antenna 40 meters in diameter and 60 meters high, is designed to be a cutting-edge scientific instrument in two main fields:

2. Geopolitical Implications and the Denial of Military Use

One of the rumors used to justify the supposed cancellation was the accusation that CART was a "surveillance radar" for military purposes. This was categorically denied by Dean Jorge Castro and by the scientists.

3. Investment and Human Resources at Risk

The project's suspension threatens a considerable investment and years of work:

The uncertainty generated by the lack of renewal of the agreement and the retention of parts in Customs represents an administrative and political obstacle that jeopardizes the completion of a "VERY ADVANCED" project of global significance.

Sources:

Note from El Destape Web, signed by Nora Bär .

Faculty of Exact Sciences of the UNSJ