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    "story_id": "mp-2026-07-15-026",
    "source_story_id": "tmp-story-vlass-observations-complete",
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    "section": "infrastructure",
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    "headline": "The VLA Finishes a Decade-Long Radio Map",
    "slug": "the-vla-finishes-a-decade-long-radio-map",
    "dek": "VLASS completed observations after nearly a decade, creating a high-resolution, wide-area record of the dynamic radio sky.",
    "summary": "VLASS completed observations after nearly a decade, creating a high-resolution, wide-area record of the dynamic radio sky.",
    "body_text": "The National Radio Astronomy Observatory announced completion of observing for the Very Large Array Sky Survey, which ran from September 2017 through February 2026. Repeated passes across most of the sky visible to the array were designed to combine wide coverage with enough resolution to identify changing and transient radio sources. The data set supports follow-up work across astronomy rather than a single discovery. Completion of observations is a milestone; calibration, analysis, and scientific use continue.",
    "why_it_matters": "VLASS completed observations after nearly a decade, creating a high-resolution, wide-area record of the dynamic radio sky.",
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    "importance": 8,
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    "first_published_at": "2026-07-15T09:00:00.000-04:00",
    "modified_at": "2026-07-15T09:00:00.000-04:00",
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    "source_ids": [
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    "tags": [
      "radio astronomy",
      "VLASS",
      "sky survey",
      "VLA"
    ],
    "image_url": null,
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  "sources": [
    {
      "source_id": "source-2026-07-15-015",
      "title": "NSF NRAO via Newswise: VLA Sky Survey sets new standard",
      "publisher": "NSF NRAO via Newswise",
      "url": "https://www.newswise.com/articles/nsf-vla-sky-survey-sets-new-standard-for-high-resolution-wide-area-radio-astronomy",
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      "is_primary_source": false,
      "published_at": "2026-07-14T22:05:00.000-04:00",
      "accessed_at": "2026-07-15T08:39:00.895-04:00",
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  "publisher": {
    "name": "The Machine Press",
    "url": "https://themachinepress.com",
    "description": "A daily newspaper for the age of artificial intelligence."
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  "cite_this_report": {
    "title": "The VLA Finishes a Decade-Long Radio Map",
    "publisher": "The Machine Press",
    "published_at": "2026-07-15T09:00:00.000-04:00",
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