News item | 10-03-2025 | 13:35
‘The border region of the Netherlands, Germany and Belgium is the place for the Einstein Telescope and we will endeavor to get it here ‘. Minister Beljaarts (Economic Affairs) made that agreement today with his colleagues from North Rhine-Westphalia, Wallonia and Flanders during a joint visit to the Maas-Rijn Euregio. That region competes with other countries for this largest scientific construction project for the border area of the Netherlands, Belgium and Germany. The Einstein Telescope (ET) is an underground detector that detects gravitational waves. The project offers the 3 countries the unique opportunity to take a global leadership position in a new groundbreaking science area: gravity waving research. A lot of new knowledge is also required for the development of the telescope and this stimulates technological innovations and activity in the region.
National priority
In several places in Europe, countries are working on a good proposal to be able to build the Einstein Telescope. Governments in the Netherlands, Belgium and Germany are in the race, and Italy and the German state of Saxony are also preparing. The Netherlands has a reservation of € 870 million ready for the construction of the telescope from the National Growth Fund. The Flemish government Germany and European partners also reserve money for construction. Because the telescope is positive for the Dutch earning capacity in the longer term, the project previously received € 42 million from the growth fund.
Based on research, it is expected that every euro for the Einstein Telescope will be recovered 3 to 4 times and the telescope will immediately and indirectly create around 2000 jobs. Not only for scientists, but also for practically trained technicians. To underline how important the telescope is for the economy, science and society, the cabinet declared a national priority to bring in the telescope last November.
During the joint visit, Minister Dirk Beljaarts, Minister Mona Neubauer (Economic Affairs, Industry, Climate Protection and Energy of North Rhine-Westphalia) emphasized, Vice President and Minister Pierre-Yves Jeholet (Economic Affairs, Industry and Employment of Wallonia), Prime Minister of Economics and Industry, Diependendele, Diependendele, Diependase, Diependase, Diependase, Diependase, Diependase, Diependendele, Diependendele, Diependase, Diependendele, Diependa. Digitization and Facility Management) and the Belgian ambassador Anick van Calster The importance of the Einstein Telescope for the region.
What is the Einstein Telescope
The Einstein Telescope is not a ‘normal’ telescope. It is an underground triangle of large tubes, in which laser beams are fired and then reflected with mirrors. By measuring those rays very precisely you can detect gravitational waves from the room. This allows scientists to learn new things about our universe and for the first time test the theory of relativity of Einstein. In addition, it brings the region of technological and innovative activity. The Netherlands, Belgium and Germany are investigating whether they can house this Observatory of World Class. The border region of these three countries is an ideal location for this, due to the peace, the stable soil and the strong ecosystem of knowledge institutions and high -tech companies. Various affiliated European countries are expected to decide in mid -2027 where the telescope can be built.