China will build two telescopes at Dome A, the highest point on the Antarctic plateau, in an effort to upgrade the country’s observation and research capabilities.

“The plan to build the 2.5-meter Kunlun Dark Universe Survey Telescope (KDUST) and the 5-meter Dome A Terahertz Explorer (DATE5) is crucial for the establishment of China’s own observatory in Antarctica, which can help to solve scientific problems including the origins of life and the universe,” Cui Xiangqun, an academic with the Chinese Academy of Sciences and a NPC deputy, told Science and Technology Daily on March 7. Cui added that the establishment of the observatory will help China to search for Earth-like planets outside the solar system.

According to Cui, KDUST will use near-infrared light to probe dark matter, improving on the shortcomings of the Hubble telescope. DATE5 will detect light with a longer wavelength, allowing astronomers to see into dark clouds of dust and molecules.

The occupation of Dome A will be a significant step forward for astronomical research in China, as the spot will offer a larger visual field than what has previously been available, capturing images in high resolution.