Photographic Construction Timeline
of the
Green Bank Telescope

(Photos Courtesy Ron Monk, NRAO,AUI)

1991

1991 1992 1993 1994 1995 1996 1997 1998 1999 2000

Senator Robert C. Byrd, Dr. Walter E. Massery , Director of the National Science Foundation, and Dr. Robert E. Hughes, President of Assoc. Universities Inc.
	Groundbreaking May 1st
	Cutting into the rock at the bottom of the Alidade foundation.
July
Setting forms for the first concrete pour of the Alidade footer.
	August
	Setting reinforcing steel in the seventh segment of the track.
August
The South wing butress wall.
	September
	Pouring concrete in the #6 lower wall segment.
October

1992

1991 1992 1993 1994 1995 1996 1997 1998 1999 2000

Finished Concrete Pour.
	January
	Pintle Bearing Form.
January
Completed East Grade Beam.
	May
	Bringing in the heavy equipment.
June
Track sections are laid out to be sandblasted and painted.
	September

1993

1991 1992 1993 1994 1995 1996 1997 1998 1999 2000

	Looking over the first level of the Alidade.
February
The Alidade
	June
	Lowering in the Servo Room.
July
Beams being dropped into level 4.
	October
	Elevation Bearings Weldment Sections.
November
Progress of Alidade
	December

1994

1991 1992 1993 1994 1995 1996 1997 1998 1999 2000

	Finishing off the West Tower.
February
Bringing in the first Weldment Assembly.
	April
	Both assemblies are now in place.
May
Temporary support structure for the Elevation Bearing.
	August
	Ligning up the Elevation Bearing Shaft.
September

1995

1991 1992 1993 1994 1995 1996 1997 1998 1999 2000

Lifting the second Elevation Shaft Assembly.
	May
	The Elevation Axle in place.
June
Gear Sector Segment set into the Fixed Stow Pin Assembly.
	July
	Installing the Gear Sector Segments.
August
Alidade with the Wheel Keel Plates in place.
	October

1996

1991 1992 1993 1994 1995 1996 1997 1998 1999 2000

	Counter weights have been added to the elevation gear.
January
Starting to assemble the box structure.
	February
	Elevation Wheel/Counterweight assembly.
March
Assembling the backup structure supports.
	April
	The Subreflector truss.
June
Pre-assembling the backup structure.
	June
	Backup structure.
July
A section of the Horizontal Feed Arm being lifted into place.
	October
	The first sections of the Horizontal Feed Ar are now in Place.
December

1997

1991 1992 1993 1994 1995 1996 1997 1998 1999 2000

Next section of the Horizontal Feed Arm.
	February
	Trial Assembly of the Backup Structure.
March
Center section of the Horizontal Feed Arm.
	May
	Completed trial assembly of the Backup Structure.
June
Starting to move the Backup Structure to the GBT.
	September
	More modules in place.
December

1998

1991 1992 1993 1994 1995 1996 1997 1998 1999 2000
\

Module R-7 being added.
	February
	Adding BUS Module L-10.
March
Adding BUS Module L-10.
	April
	Dropping in Module R-8.
June
All Module in place.
	July
	Overall View
August
Adding to the Vertical Feed Arm.
	October

1999

1991 1992 1993 1994 1995 1996 1997 1998 1999 2000

	Looking West
February
Trial fitting of the last two sections of the vertical feed arm.
	April
	Telescope is tilted to 12 degrees to accept the last sections of the feed arm.
June
Subreflector and Feed Arm being dropped into place.
	July
	The first Surface Panels are added.
August
More panels added.
	November

2000

1991 1992 1993 1994 1995 1996 1997 1998 1999 2000

	Almost Done
January
The Big Picture
	910500