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About ASKAIC
What is the Square Kilometre Array (SKA)?
The Square Kilometre Array (SKA) is a $1.8 billion international science project now under consideration by a consortium of institutions from nineteen countries. The SKA is a radio telescope that will answer fundamental questions in physics and cosmology, and will require new technology and progress in fundamental engineering, signal processing and computing systems. Collaboration with industry partners offering expertise in a range of SKA-relevant fields is essential.
Australia’s involvement in the SKA.
In September 2006 Australia and Southern Africa were short-listed by the international SKA community as being acceptable sites for the SKA. The final decision on the site will be made in 2011-12. Each country is building a path finder telescope to demonstrate the suitability of the sites and to showcase the technology, infrastructure and capabilities of each country.
The Australian SKA Pathfi nder (ASKAP) is a new radio telescope, to be designed and built by CSIRO, in collaboration with leading overseas astronomers and engineers and in close liaison with industry. As well as being a world-leading telescope in its own right, ASKAP will provide an important testbed for SKA technology and demonstrate the suitability of the WA site. Funding in excess of $110M has been provided by the Australian Government, with construction set to commence in 2009.
ASKAP will consist of up to 45 antennas of approx 12m diameter each. It will be a survey telescope and is designed to demonstrate a wide-field-of-view ‘mini station’ solution for the SKA. ASKAP does not intend to demonstrate the full frequency coverage specified for the SKA; initially it will cover the 0.7 to 1.8 GHz range, with an instantaneous bandwidth of 300MHz. For full details of ASKAP specifications see:
http://www.atnf.csiro.au/projects/askap/
SKA activities in Australia are coordinated by the Australian SKA Coordination Committee (ASCC) which is comprised of senior officials from the Commonwealth and WA State Governments, as well as scientists from CSIRO ATNF and the University of Western Australia. The ASCC is supported by a number of advisory groups and is also working with the Australian Communications and Media Authority (ACMA) to protect the superb radio-quietness of the WA site.
A newsletter (auSKA) featuring SKA-related news and events is published regularly.
See http://www.atnf.csiro.au/news/auska-newsletter
The Australian SKA Industry Consortium (ASKAIC) is represented on the ASCC’s Industry Participation and Procurement Advisory Group (IPPAG) which has broad terms of reference. The Consortium has an annual program of activities and represents the main source of Australian industry input into SKA. Further information on the ASCC and SKA activities in Australia can be found at http://www.ska.gov.au