The Isle of Man Chapter of the Mars Society has called on the UK Government and UK Research and Innovation to reconsider planned funding cuts to Jodrell Bank Observatory.
It warns that world‑leading radio astronomy at the site could end in 2028 without alternative support.
The group says the decision threatens nearly 70 years of scientific work at the UNESCO World Heritage Site, home to the Lovell Telescope and a key part of the UK’s role in the Square Kilometre Array Observatory. Current funding for e‑MERLIN operations runs only until April 2028.
The Society highlighted Jodrell Bank’s long‑standing importance to Manx residents, noting that generations of schoolchildren have visited the observatory and that many members first discovered an interest in science there.
With no comparable facility on the island, they say Jodrell Bank provides an “irreplaceable” opportunity for young people to experience major scientific infrastructure first‑hand.
They joined wider scientific bodies, including the Institute of Physics, in urging the UK Government to secure the observatory’s future, arguing that the cost of losing it, to research, regional economies and future STEM talent, “far outweighs the savings at stake.”
