SKA moves to Jodrell Bank
4 May 2011 by Evoluted New Media
Jodrell Bank Observatory has fought off international competition to host the project office of the Square Kilometre Array (SKA) – the largest and most sensitive radio telescope.
Jodrell Bank Observatory has fought off international competition to host the project office of the Square Kilometre Array (SKA) – the largest and most sensitive radio telescope.
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Artist’s impression of the SKA dishes Credit: SPDO/TDP/DRAO/Swinburne Astronomy Productions |
The SKA project office (SPO) will supersede the existing Program Development Office based at the University of Manchester. The move to Jodrell Bank is scheduled for January 2012, and it is hoped the SPO will grow to 60 people over the next four years.
“The move to Jodrell Bank Observatory comes at a crucial time as the project grows from a concept to an international mega-science project,” said Professor Richard Schilizzi, director of SKA. “The new location and facilities will support the significant expansion that is planned.”
The move was announced by the newly formed Founding Board – nine national governmental and research organisations who signed a letter of intent declaring their common ambition to see the SKA built. They will work together to secure funding for the £1.3bn project which aims to answer some of the most fundamental questions about the Universe, including how stars and galaxies formed after the Big Bang, the nature of gravity and magnetism in the cosmos.
“Given the current economic environment, it is reassuring that so many partners have recognised the importance of supporting the SKA,” said Professor John Womersley, chair of the Founding Board. “Our partners have taken this step not only because of the inspirational nature of the discoveries that the SKA will make, but also because of the economic benefits that international mega-science projects can bring to participating countries.”
The signatory parties – Australia, China, France, Germany, Italy, the Netherlands, New Zealand, South Africa and the UK – represent organisations at the national scale, and will coordinate groups carrying out SKA R&D in their respective countries.
The SKA telescope will be 50 times more sensitive and have 10,000 times the survey speed of current-day telescopes. With thousands of receptors extending out to distances of over 3,000km from the centre of the telescope, the total collecting areas will be approximately 1km.
It will drive technology developments in antennas, fibre networks, signal processing and software and computing and has the potential to impact skills development in science and engineering.
The actual telescope will be based in either Australia-New Zealand or South Africa. A decision on location is expected in 2012, with construction beginning as early as 2016.
