NASA and the Department of Energy (DOE) plan to construct a radio telescope on the far side of the Moon to explore the “Dark Ages” of the universe. This telescope would allow scientists to study the earliest stages of the universe, before the formation of stars and galaxies.

The telescope will be built in a crater near the Moon’s South Pole, which provides natural shielding from radio noise and extreme temperature variations. The radio telescope would be an array of thousands of small antennas that can pick up radio waves from the early universe.

Scientists believe that during the “Dark Ages,” the universe was filled with neutral hydrogen gas. The radio waves emitted by this gas can be seen by the radio telescope, providing insights into the formation of the universe.

Although NASA has plans to build the telescope, it is still in early stages of development. The agency is expected to make a formal announcement about the project in the coming months.

This new telescope could potentially pave the way for more discoveries about the universe and its origins, providing better insight into the mysteries of the cosmos.