Nearly a year after tender, Rs 1,600-crore gravitational wave observatory in limbo, Pg1

Key Highlights:

• The construction of the Laser Interferometer Gravitational Wave Observatory (LIGO) in Hingoli district, Maharashtra, a Rs 1,600-crore project, is delayed as the tender floated in April of last year is yet to be awarded.
• The Department of Atomic Energy (DAE) maintains that the project will still be completed by its original deadline of 2030.
• The LIGO project aims to detect gravitational waves, offering scientists a new way to track cosmic events.

Detailed Insights:

• The LIGO-India project is designed to work in sync with two similar facilities in the United States, enhancing the global network for detecting gravitational waves.
• Detecting gravitational waves allows scientists to observe cosmic events that are not visible through light or other electromagnetic waves, providing new insights into the universe.
• The delay in awarding the tender raises concerns about potential cost overruns and the impact on India's scientific capabilities in advanced physics research.

Scientific/Technical Concepts Involved:

• Gravitational Waves: Ripples in the fabric of spacetime caused by accelerating massive objects.
• Laser Interferometer: A device that uses lasers to precisely measure changes in distance, used in LIGO to detect gravitational waves.