Jodrell Bank Observatory faces closure as UK government slashes funding

Scientists, artists and writers call for UK government to save Jodrell Bank Observatory

More than 100 artists, writers and scientists have urged the UK government to save the Jodrell Bank Observatory, citing “foolish and shortsighted” funding cuts that threaten the world’s clearest eyes on the sky. The observatory, which includes the Grade I-listed Lovell telescope, is at the heart of a global scientific effort to map the first billion years of the universe. The call for intervention comes after the UK Research and Innovation (UKRI) announced it would withdraw funding for the e-Merlin network, the UK’s national radio astronomy facility, when the current agreement ends in March 2028.

The decision risks undermining the UK’s leadership in scientific exploration.
The Lovell telescope, which tracked the Sputnik launch in 1957, is central to the observatory’s mission. However, the UKRI has announced cuts to the e-Merlin network, which is part of the broader STFC funding reductions. The STFC, which manages the UK’s scientific infrastructure, faces substantial savings due to cost overruns, rising electricity and staff costs, and high foreign exchange rates for international collaborations. The cuts are expected to result in about 800 job losses across the scientific community.

Broader cuts threaten research and international collaborations

The funding cuts extend beyond Jodrell Bank, affecting dozens of facilities, instruments and projects. The Next-Generation Transit Survey, which searches for solar systems similar to Earth’s, has received a 45% cut. The UK will also withdraw from the Event Horizon Telescope, which captured the first image of a black hole. A spokesperson for the STFC stated that the body had “undertaken a rigorous prioritisation process to focus investment on the areas that will deliver the greatest long-term scientific capability, impact and value for the UK.” However, the letter argues that the decision risks undermining the UK’s leadership in scientific exploration.

The closure would mean discoveries from SKAO could be announced alongside what would be the world’s largest disused radio telescope.
The move threatens 28 jobs at the observatory and will affect nearly 3,000 researchers who work within the facility. The letter to the UK government calls for immediate funding to ensure the unique and essential services provided by Jodrell Bank continue without interruption. The observatory is also a UNESCO World Heritage site and the UK’s largest radio telescope. The cuts are part of a rolling package of reductions from the STFC, which is funded by UKRI, which has an annual budget of nearly £10bn.

The observatory hosts the new headquarters of the Square Kilometre Array Observatory (SKAO), a global project involving telescopes in South Africa and Western Australia. The letter also warns that the closure would mean discoveries from SKAO could be announced alongside what would be the world’s largest disused radio telescope. The call for intervention comes as the UK faces a growing challenge in maintaining its scientific reputation and leadership in the global research community.