The Atacama Large Millimetre / Sub-Millimetre Array (ALMA – Spanish for “soul”) has been operational from March 2013 and at that time was the most expensive ground based telescope in operation (cost of over $1bn).
ALMA is a superb example of international collaboration and funding, with active participants including Europe, USA, Canada, East Asia and The Republic of Chile. It consists of an array of 66 12m and 7m diameter radio telescopes and is particularly exciting as it will allow a detailed analysis of star birth during the early universe.