97
© The Author(s), under exclusive license to Springer Nature Switzerland AG 2021
F. Sánchez, The Rise of Astrophysics in Modern Spain, Astronomers’ Universe,
https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-030-66426-8_11
11
Telescopes Versus Military Radars
(1977–1978)
The previous chapter described how the Treaty of Cooperation in Astrophysics
was finally signed. I now deal with a curious train of episodes that greatly
impinged on that effort.
After years of effort, we were on the point of successfully ending the negotiations with scientific institutions from European countries actively designing the most advanced telescopes of the day. We were busy finalizing points in
the draft agreements that we were anxious to sign off. At last, we were on the
verge of endowing the Canary Islands with the most advanced astronomical
instrumentation then available.
Then one morning I received a call from Modesto Fraile, Civil Governor of
Tenerife. Without mincing his words, he announced, ‘I regret to inform you
that you will have to forget about Roque de los Muchachos as an observatory
because the Ministry of Defence has decided to build an important radar
system on the summit of La Palma.’ All our dreams shattered in a single blow!
But I was never one to surrender or take no for an answer. I asked the Governor
if I could at least take measures to try and get this decision overturned. He
replied sardonically that I could do whatever it entered my head to do with no
opposition from him (that was already a triumph), but that ‘it was Defence
we were up against’ and nothing would come of it. At the time the military
were an all-powerful force and were still to be feared.
To be thus thwarted just as we could almost touch the marvellous telescopes that were about to crown the peaks of the Canary Islands!
Almost in desperation, I took decisive action without delay. I immediately
telephoned the Chiefs of Staff. After an hour of being bounced from one
extension to another, I finally managed to contact an official who knew
© The Author(s), under exclusive license to Springer Nature Switzerland AG 2021
F. Sánchez, The Rise of Astrophysics in Modern Spain, Astronomers’ Universe,
https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-030-66426-8_11
11
Telescopes Versus Military Radars
(1977–1978)
The previous chapter described how the Treaty of Cooperation in Astrophysics
was finally signed. I now deal with a curious train of episodes that greatly
impinged on that effort.
After years of effort, we were on the point of successfully ending the negotiations with scientific institutions from European countries actively designing the most advanced telescopes of the day. We were busy finalizing points in
the draft agreements that we were anxious to sign off. At last, we were on the
verge of endowing the Canary Islands with the most advanced astronomical
instrumentation then available.
Then one morning I received a call from Modesto Fraile, Civil Governor of
Tenerife. Without mincing his words, he announced, ‘I regret to inform you
that you will have to forget about Roque de los Muchachos as an observatory
because the Ministry of Defence has decided to build an important radar
system on the summit of La Palma.’ All our dreams shattered in a single blow!
But I was never one to surrender or take no for an answer. I asked the Governor
if I could at least take measures to try and get this decision overturned. He
replied sardonically that I could do whatever it entered my head to do with no
opposition from him (that was already a triumph), but that ‘it was Defence
we were up against’ and nothing would come of it. At the time the military
were an all-powerful force and were still to be feared.
To be thus thwarted just as we could almost touch the marvellous telescopes that were about to crown the peaks of the Canary Islands!
Almost in desperation, I took decisive action without delay. I immediately
telephoned the Chiefs of Staff. After an hour of being bounced from one
extension to another, I finally managed to contact an official who knew