Near Imillac, Chile, May 1994

Description

In November 1994, the National Science Board approved a project development plan for the Millimeter Array and endorsed further planning. By the time of the formal NSB approval, however, NRAO had been looking for several years at potential sites in Arizona and New Mexico - and in Chile as well. In May 1994, a group explored areas around Ascotan, Ollague, Escondita, Salar de Imillac, and San Pedro de Atacama. In this photo, taken near Imillac by Riccardo Giovanelli, Hernan Quintana, Paul Vanden Bout, Bob Brown, and Angel Otalora are either pleased with what they see or pleased to be out of the truck. Seven years later, in November 2001, Congress appropriated initial construction funds for what had by then evolved from NRAO's MMA to the multi-national ALMA.