The ASSSA project (Updating of the Servo System and Antenna Surface) is an important boost to the 30-metre radio telescope on Pico Veleta, providing it with new features. It is the result of an agreement signed between the Spanish National Centre for Geographic Information (CNIG) and the Ministry of Science and Innovation, and is co-financed by ERDF funds from Spain's Multi-regional Operational Programme 2014-2020. With an investment of several million euros, it aims to increase the performance of the radio telescope by installing a new servo control system and carrying out a study to improve the quality of the antenna.

The surface of this parabolic antenna is already hyper-precise, as its deviations from a perfect mathematical paraboloid are already much smaller than the thickness of a human hair. However, the new project is expected to increase the accuracy to the limit of current engineering possibilities.

Among the achievements of this large Singular Scientific-Technical Facility (ICTS) are the observations that led to the first image of a black hole. Thanks to this new upgrade project, the radio telescope is guaranteed to remain at the forefront of science and technology for several decades to come, allowing it to participate in many more ground-breaking observations.

For more information about the ASSSA project, you can refer to this brochure written by Salvador Bachiller, director of OAN.