[ASA] SKA site decision

[John O'Byrne]

Dear colleagues

I’m pleased to report that the international SKA Organisation has announced that the $2.5 billion Square Kilometre Array radio telescope will be deployed in Australia and New Zealand, as well as in South Africa.

The SKA Organisation has agreed that Phase 1 of the SKA project should be split between both regions. Such a deployment means researchers will get the best possible results by capitalising on the respective infrastructure and strengths of both sites.

In Phase 1, Australia will build 60 SKA dishes equipped with Australia’s innovative phased array feed technology, which will work in conjunction with ASKAP, as well as an array of 4000 low frequency dipole antennas. South Africa will receive 190 SKA dishes, which will work with MeerKAT to deliver deep images of individual fields. The two instruments will be complementary, with Australia hosting the survey instrument, South Africa the follow-up array.

Phase 2 of the SKA, which is more than a decade away, will see the entire low frequency array in Australia, with the dish array and, if successfully developed, a mid-frequency dense aperture array in Southern Africa. The implementation of all parts of SKA Phase 2 will be dependent upon the successful delivery of Phase 1.

I believe this to be an excellent result for Australia and New Zealand, as well as for CSIRO and am proud of the fantastic work that has been undertaken by the very many people involved across the ASKAP and SKA projects.

There are far too many people to mention in this email, but I’d like to highlight the efforts that have been made over many years by Brian Boyle and Michelle Storey. Without their efforts I can safely say that Australia would have no ASKAP or SKA – Their efforts have been instrumental in keeping us at the forefront of radio astronomy.

The efforts too, of everyone who has had a hand in our ASKAP construction, or worked with various SKA Working Groups, Committees and Design Groups, or who have provided technical input to the international SKA Organisation should also be applauded.

In the short term, CSIRO and our partners will aim to participate in work-packages supporting SKA pre-construction and construction activities. We will also seek to continue our scientific and technical leadership role in SKA related activities.  In the longer term, CSIRO will work with the Australian and New Zealand Governments, as well as the SKA Organisation to see how exactly CSIRO can best contribute to the future success of the SKA telescope.

The decision as announced is one that we can be proud of and I look forward to the future and being further involved in what will truly be a world changing project.

Regards
Phil Diamond

Philip Diamond  | Chief, Astronomy & Space Science | CSIRO
Phone: +61 2 9372 4300 | philip.diamond at csiro.au  |
PO Box 76, Epping NSW 1710