June 10, 2020
A press release today by the International Centre for Radio Astronomy
Research (ICRAR) regarding the construction of the €1.87 billion SKA in Western Australia.
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Originally Posted by ICRAR
Following seven years of design and prototyping work, the Curtin University node of the International Centre for Radio Astronomy Research (ICRAR) has completed its preparations for the construction of the Square Kilometre Array (SKA) in Western Australia, which will begin next year.
130,000 individual radio antennas, along with associated electronics, will be built and spread over thousands of square kilometres at CSIRO’s Murchison Radio-astronomy Observatory (MRO), approximately 800 km north of Perth. This will work in tandem with an array of 197 dishes located in the Karoo in South Africa, north of Cape Town.
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Originally Posted by ICRAR
Beyond the COVID-19 pandemic, the SKA project will play a part in economic recovery, injecting hundreds of millions of much-needed dollars into the regional, Western Australian and Australian economies, as well as those of other SKA countries, over many years.
“All West Australians can be proud that our State is going to be the home to the SKA, one of the biggest science projects in human history,” said Western Australian Minister for Science, the Hon Dave Kelly MLA.
“Since 2009 the WA Government has provided funding of $71 million for ICRAR to attract the SKA to Western Australia and maximise benefits for the State through research, job creation, diversification of the economy and innovation,” he said.
“Through this investment, Western Australia has become a global hub for radio astronomy.”
Professor Steven Tingay said Western Australia had placed itself at the forefront of international scientific research, including the readiness of Western Australian industry.
“We are looking forward to commencing SKA construction, along with our international partners, between Curtin University and The University of Western Australia via ICRAR, with CSIRO as Australia’s SKA host organisation, with our Western Australian industry partners, and with the SKA Observatory in the UK,” he said.
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Full press release, images, video here :-
