China's Hailing TRIDENT Neutrino Telescope to Finish Phase One Next Year

China's deep-sea neutrino telescope Hailing, or TRIDENT, is entering a decisive build phase in the South China Sea. Phase one is slated for completion next year, making it the first neutrino telescope near the equator. The three-phase project will total roughly 10 cubic kilometres.

• Arrays will sit over 3,000 metres deep with more than 1,000 vertical strings
• About 20,000 optical modules across three phases totalling ~10 cubic km
• Full-process sea trial finished in August 2025
• Chief scientist Xu Donglian hopes for a leading telescope in China by 2035