Rockford company celebrates construction of largest telescope mount in the U.S.

Ingersoll Machine Tools on Tuesday began construction of the largest telescope mount ever built in the United States.

The 12-story tall mount that will be built at the company's facility at 707 Fulton Ave. on Rockford's west side.

It will be custom crafted to accommodate the Giant Magellan Telescope , which officials have said will be the largest Gregorian optical-infrared telescope in history capable of improving science's understanding of the universe.

Company officials, civic leaders and elected officials gathered to celebrate Tuesday at Ingersoll.

The mount will weigh 2,100 metric tons and provide the supporting framework for the enormous mirrors, optic equipment and scientific instruments of the Magellan Telescope. Its steel superstructure will sit on a concrete pier that is 22 meters in diameter and can allow the telescope to operate despite potential earthquakes or vibrations.

A functioning mount is critical for the telescope to operate properly, officials said.

It will take about two years to build the mount. Once complete, it will be shipped and installed in the remote mountains of Chile.

Ingersoll constructed a five axis MasterMill machine inside a new 40,000-square-foot testing facility to build the mount and support its work for the U.S. Navy.

Jeff Kolkey writes about government, economic development and other issues for the Rockford Register Star. He can be reached at  (815) 987-1374, via email at jkolkey@rrstar.com and on X @jeffkolkey .

This article originally appeared on Rockford Register Star: Rockford company celebrates construction of largest telescope mount in the U.S.