Question: Is is hard to build a radio telescope? Do you need alot of materials?

Derek McKay-Bukowski answered on 13 Jun 2011:

Building radio telescopes is hard work, yes. You do need a lot of material too, but It depends on the radio telescope that you are trying to build. Some radio telescopes rely on huge steel structures (such as the Lovell Telescope at Jodrell Bank, Cheshire). It has over 3000 tonnes of steel in it, which is a lot. Others, such as the LOFAR-Chilbolton telescope in Hampshire rely on digital electronics. These electronic circuits reduce the need for so much steel. In fact, it them becomes mostly plastic, wire and polystyrene… only about 30 tonnes in total. Still, that 20 tonnes of polystyrene is a lot!

Different building techniques come with different complications. Designing the electronics of a modern telescope is very tricky. But so is building huge steel structures.