Look to the stars: how radio astronomy can benefit Pakistan

Pakistan has long been recognised for its nuclear and missile capabilities but the country is still lagging in many areas, including space exploration, semiconductors, antenna design, radio-frequency (RF) engineering, high-performance computing and astronomy. However, by investing in radio astronomy research and development, Pakistan has the potential to improve its technical capabilities in telecommunications, defence, medical imaging, and big data sciences.

Radio astronomy is a field that studies the universe through the analysis of radio waves emitted by celestial objects. From pulsars to black holes, radio astronomy has played a critical role in our understanding of the universe. Furthermore, radio astronomy research can also lead to spin-off technologies that can benefit other industries.

One of the best examples of the potential of radio astronomy research is Wi-Fi. Astronomers at Australia’s national space agency CSIRO developed methods to realign scrambled radio signals from black holes, leading to the discovery of this widely used technology. Similarly, the data acquisition mechanisms in radio astronomy and magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) have similarities that can potentially lead to advances in medical imaging technologies.

Investing in radio astronomy research also has the potential to foster collaboration and innovation across diverse groups. For example, universities in Pakistan can be encouraged and funded to launch amateur radio astronomy projects, by providing students with a platform to learn about radio astronomy, leading to the discovery of new celestial objects and phenomena. On a larger scale, Pakistan’s national space research organisations (SUPARCO, NCGSA, IST, ISPA, etc.) and telecommunications organisations can develop at least one international-level radio astronomy research facility. India’s Giant Metrewave Radio Telescope (GMRT), for example, is a relatively low-cost facility in comparison with other major radio telescope facilities around the world.

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