--- description: Once completed, the telescope will be used to reflect radio signals from distant parts of the universe title: China Will Relocate 9,000 People to Build World's Largest Radio Telescope image: https://static.time.com/v3/assets/bltea6093859af6183b/blt415e2921c88ef1f3/69887dbfbc6cfc0cca3dbbf4/china-telescope-guizhou.jpg?branch=production&width=3840&quality=75&auto=webp&crop=16:9 ---  * [World](/section/world/) ## World Update your preferences in [Account Settings](/account/preferences/) Close # China Will Relocate 9,000 People to Build World's Largest Radio Telescope by [Tara John](/author/tara-john/) ## Tara John Update your preferences in [Account Settings](/account/preferences/) Close Feb 16, 2016 3:47 PM CUT  The Five-hundred-meter Aperture Spherical radio Telescope (FAST) under construction in southwest China's Guizhou province, on Nov. 26, 2015. The Five-hundred-meter Aperture Spherical radio Telescope (FAST) under construction in southwest China's Guizhou province, on Nov. 26, 2015.EPA by [Tara John](/author/tara-john/) ## Tara John Update your preferences in [Account Settings](/account/preferences/) Close Feb 16, 2016 3:47 PM CUT More than 9,000 people are being relocated in China before the opening of the world’s largest radio telescope later this year. The $180 million Five Hundred Meter Aperture Spherical Telescope (FAST) in the southwestern province of Guizhou is expected to be completed in September says [_Xinhua News Agency_](http://english.cri.cn/12394/2016/02/16/4202s916929.htm "undefined"). Once finished, it will become the world’s largest, overtaking the 300-meter Arecibo Observatory in Puerto Rico. According a senior Communist party official in Guizhou, Li Yuecheng, residents within 3 miles of the telescope had to be relocated so as to “create a sound electromagnetic wave environment.” These “evacuated” residents will get up to $1,800 in compensation from the country’s provincial reservoir and eco-migration bureau. The radio telescope, which measures 500 meters in diameter, will be used to reflect radio signals from distant parts of the universe and help search for extraterrestrial life beyond the galaxy, [reports the _Guardian_](http://www.theguardian.com/world/2016/feb/16/china-relocates-9000-people-fast-telescope-search-for-aliens "undefined"). ```json [{"@context":"https://schema.org","@type":"NewsArticle","@id":"https://time.com/4225609/china-radio-telescope-relocate-fast/","mainEntityOfPage":{"@type":"WebPage","@id":"https://time.com/4225609/china-radio-telescope-relocate-fast/"},"headline":"China Will Relocate 9,000 People to Build World's Largest Radio Telescope","datePublished":"2016-02-16T15:47:47.000Z","dateModified":"2026-02-22T15:06:36.205Z","description":"Once completed, the telescope will be used to reflect radio signals from distant parts of the universe","url":"https://time.com/4225609/china-radio-telescope-relocate-fast/","keywords":["China"],"thumbnailUrl":"https://static.time.com/v3/assets/bltea6093859af6183b/blt415e2921c88ef1f3/69887dbfbc6cfc0cca3dbbf4/china-telescope-guizhou.jpg?branch=production&width=1200&quality=75&auto=webp&crop=1200:675&height=675","author":[{"@type":"Person","name":"Tara John","jobTitle":null,"url":"https://time.com/author/tara-john/"}],"articleSection":"World","image":[{"@type":"ImageObject","url":"https://static.time.com/v3/assets/bltea6093859af6183b/blt415e2921c88ef1f3/69887dbfbc6cfc0cca3dbbf4/china-telescope-guizhou.jpg?branch=production&width=1200&quality=75&auto=webp&crop=1200:675&height=675","width":1200,"height":675,"headline":"China builds World's Largest Radio Telescope","caption":"China builds World's Largest Radio Telescope","creditText":"EPA","representativeOfPage":true}],"publisher":{"@type":"Organization","name":"Time","url":"https://time.com/","logo":{"@type":"ImageObject","url":"https://time.com/images/logo.png","width":528,"height":156},"foundingDate":"March 3, 1923","sameAs":["https://www.facebook.com/time","https://www.instagram.com/time/?hl=en","https://twitter.com/time","https://www.pinterest.com/timemagazine"]}},{"@context":"https://schema.org","@type":"BreadcrumbList","itemListElement":[{"@type":"ListItem","position":1,"item":{"@id":"/section/world/","name":"World"}},{"@type":"ListItem","position":2,"item":{"@id":"https://time.com/4225609/china-radio-telescope-relocate-fast/","name":"China Will Relocate 9,000 People to Build World's Largest Radio Telescope"}}]}] ```