SEA begins construction of Grand Observatories, initiates sky survey
The SEA, in a measure to both understand the universe and to increase its scientific relevance, has begun the use of its current telescopes and the construction of grand observatories on Vall, Pol and Bop, one on Pol to explore the visible spectrum, another on Bop to observe at radio wavelengths, the lack of air and low gravity making construction of truly gargantuan structures possible.
The Bop Radio Observatory will then be networked with other radio observatories around the jool system, with the hopes of creating the largest interferometer array in the kerbol system, which, although not increasing the amount of light collected, does permit a very fine level of detail, with the "Diffraction limit" of such a system being determined by the distance separating the telescopes, rather than the telescopes themselves.
The optical observatory on pol will be used both for observing some of the faintest objects in the universe, but also, for the first time in kerbal history, collecting direct photos of things too small and too dim to see otherwise, possibly including worlds around alien suns, should a suitable target be determined.
The observatory on Vall is to be different though, it will consist of thousands of detectors inserted into the ice of its surface, not to observe photons, but instead to observe the most elusive particles in the universe, neutrinos, with the ice of Vall providing a perfect location for the construction of such an array, with the goal being to reliably detect neutrinos and begin to associate them with various other cosmic events seen by other telescopes.
However, these grand observatories will take a significant time to complete, and will be operational in no less than 8 years, In the meantime, a sky survey will be performed by other, smaller observatories located around the joolian system, with the Infrared, Optical, and Radio telescopes of the SEA being tasked with determining targets for the grand observatories to study when completed. Foreign universities and agencies will also be permitted to request observations from the "Grand Observatories" of any targets not already planned for further study.