For large aperture radio-telescopes like Arecibo or VLBA one advantage would be that you can use gravity and the structural reinforcement of the surface to maintain precise formation and location of your reflectors.
One of these days we'll perfect fine stationkeeping and be able to fly large clusters of scopes/reflectors/etc and surface-based scopes will likely become less attractive.
One of these days we'll perfect fine stationkeeping and be able to fly large clusters of scopes/reflectors/etc and surface-based scopes will likely become less attractive.