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Square kilometre array

Information about the square kilometre array radio astronomy project and opportunities for industry. 

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Project overview

The international Square Kilometre Array (SKA) project is an exciting, once-in-a-century project that will place its host State at the forefront of radio astronomy globally.

Australia and Southern Africa have been short listed as possible hosts of the SKA - the international radio telescope for the 21st Century.  The final decision is expected to be announced in 2012.

The SKA will be a revolutionary, next-generation radio telescope, capable of transformational science and will address fundamental questions in physics and cosmology.

This telescope will digitally combine signals from several thousand 12m diameter antennas with a collecting area of around one million square metres and will also provide the sharpest pictures of the sky of any telescope.

The SKA’s key science areas include:

  • Evolution of galaxies, cosmology, dark matter and energy
  • The cradle of life – searching for life and planets
  • Extreme tests of general relativity with pulsars and black holes
  • Probing the dark ages (before light) – the first black holes and stars
  • The origin and evolution of cosmic magnetism
  • Exploration of the unknown.

More information about SKA Science can be found on the International SKA website www.skatelescope.org).

To meet some of the key requirements the Australian and Western Australian Governments are establishing a world-leading radio-astronomy core observing site in the Mid West Region of Western Australia - the Murchison Radio-astronomy Observatory (MRO). 

This region is characterised by exceptional radio-quietness, low population density and favourable observing conditions.  The pristine condition of the site is being preserved by the exclusion of mining activities and creation of a 260km radius Mid West Radio Quiet Zone to limit incompatible radio frequency emissions.

Australian SKA Project - AuSKA

The principal collaborators in the Australian SKA project are the Australian Government, the State of Western Australia and Australia's premier science agency, the Commonwealth Scientific and Industrial Research Organisation (CSIRO).

In mid 2007 the Australian and Western Australian Governments established the Australian SKA Coordination Committee (ASCC), an intergovernmental body of senior officials, to coordinate Australia's SKA activities and optimise Australian participation in SKA.

Further information about the Australian SKA project can be found at www.ska.gov.au.

The Australian SKA Pathfinder telescope

As a precursor to the full SKA an Australian SKA Pathfinder (ASKAP) telescope is proposed to be built by CSIRO (Commonwealth Scientific and Industrial Research Organisation) with enabling technologies being built in partnership with institutions in Canada, the Netherlands and South Africa.

ASKAP will be the world’s most powerful survey instrument until the SKA is in operation.

The main Pathfinder will be built at the same location as the proposed core site for the SKA. It will consist of up to 45 dishes, working together as a single telescope. The dishes will use innovative radio-wave receivers that will give an unparalleled view of the sky.

Construction is planned to commence in 2009 and the ASKAP is expected to gather more information in its first six hours of operation than has been saved by the world’s radio telescopes in the last 50 years.

Industry opportunities and considerations

Please refer to the following presentations:

The Australian SKA industry capability directory

The Australian SKA industry capability directory showcases a wide range of Australian companies and organisations with the expertise and excellence required to support the development and construction of ASKAP and in time, the SKA.

For more information visit www.skacapabilities.com.au/.

Guidelines for mining activities

The Department of Minerals and Petroleum (www.dmp.wa.gov.au/5874.aspx) provides guidelines for mining activities related to the SKA project.

World-class radio astronomy research centre established

Western Australia’s chances of securing the international Square Kilometre Array (SKA) project have been given a boost with Curtin University of Technology and the University of Western Australia (UWA) joining forces to establish the International Centre for Radio Astronomy Research. To find out more refer to the latest edition of our State of the Future Magazine, Edition 9 (PDF 1.27 MB).

Contact us

For further information on radio astronomy and the SKA project please contact us.

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