The International Square Kilometre Array Organisation has announced a dual site solution for the construction of the Square Kilometre Array telescope, with Australia, New Zealand and South Africa sharing the construction of the world’s largest and most sensitive radio telescope.

 

The SKA Organisation found that both sites were well suited for the construction of the array, but South Africa was the preferred site.

 

South Africa will host the majority of SKA dishes in Phase 1, combined with the MeerKAT dishes. Further SKA dishes will be added to the ASKAP array in Australia, while mid frequency dishes in Phase II will be constructed in South Africa and New Zealand.

 

The South African project is located in the Karoo region of the Northern Cape, while the Australian - New Zealand joint site spreads from the Murchison Shire in Western Australia's mid-west to the top of New Zealand's South Island.

 

Australia will construct a total of 60 dishes, all equipped with Australia’s phased array feed technology.

                                                                                                                    

“This hugely important step for the project allows us to progress the design and prepare for the construction phase of the telescope. The SKA will transform our view of the Universe; with it we will see back to the moments after the Big Bang and discover previously unexplored parts of the cosmos.”  Dr Michiel van Haarlem, Interim Director General of the SKA Organisation said.

 

The SKA will enable astronomers to glimpse the universe in the immediate aftermath of the Big Bang, with hopes of further investigating the nature of gravity and possibly discovering life beyond Earth.

 

Factors taken into account during the site selection process included levels of radio frequency interference, the long term sustainability of a radio quiet zone, the physical characteristics of the site, long distance data network connectivity, the operating and infrastructure costs as well as the political and working environment.

 

The agreement was reached by the Members of the SKA Organisation who did not bid to host the SKA (Canada, China, Italy, the Netherlands and the United Kingdom). The Office of the SKA Organisation will now lead a detailed definition period to clarify the implementation.

 

Minister for Innovation Senator Chris Evans welcomed the decision to share the $1.9 billion telescope, saying the project will benefit from pre-existing infrastructure and technology.

 

“A significant amount of funding has already been invested into developing first class research facilities like the CSIRO Australian Square Kilometre Array Pathfinder (ASKAP) in Western Australia,” Senator Evans said.

 

“Sharing the project means researchers will get the best possible results by capitalising on the respective infrastructure and strengths of both sites.”

 

The $2 billion project, comprising 3000 dishes, will be funded by a consortium of 20 nations. Concerns have been expressed, however, about the availability of long-term funding for the project in the light of the current economic turbulence.

 

SKA South Africa has set aside R1.4-billion for the first phase of the project which will see the completion of South Africa's MeerKAT radiotelescope, while Australia has spent A$220 million on its national telescope project.