The Very Long Baseline Array (VLBA) near Pie Town

The VLBA is a system of 10 radio telescopes controlled remotely from the Array Operations Center in Socorro, New Mexico, that work together as the world's largest dedicated, full-time astronomical instrument. Construction began in February, 1986, and was completed in May, 1993. The first observation using all ten sites occurred May 29, 1993. Total construction cost was $85 million.

The ten VLBA sites range from Hawaii to the Virgin Islands and include a site at Pie Town, New Mexico.

Pie Town, 1998

Each VLBA station consists of an 82-foot (25-meter) diameter dish antenna and an adjacent control building housing the station computer, tape recorders and other equipment associated with collecting radio signals gathered by the antenna. Each antenna weighs 240 tons and is nearly as tall as a ten-story building when pointed straight up.