Seven national governmental and research organisations today announced the formation of the SKA (Square Kilometre Array) Organisation that will run the EUR1.5 billion project.
The independent, not-for-profit company has been established to formalise relationships with international partners and centralise the leadership of the SKA telescope project.
The signatories from Australia, China, Italy, the Netherlands, New Zealand, SA and the UK plan to spend EUR69 million (including in-kind contributions) to fund the project in the period leading up to the construction phase which starts in 2016.
The company says further signatories are expected to join and commit additional resources in the next six months.
Legal design
“I am delighted that the partners have recognised the scientific, economic and societal benefits that investing in international science projects like the SKA can bring,” says John Womersley, chairman of the founding board that prepared the formation of the SKA Organisation.
The new SKA Organisation will directly employ staff, have the power to make legally binding decisions, and lead the work of the international partners on the design of the telescope.
Bank, in Cheshire, the UK.
The company says the office will take over from the SKA Program Development Office, currently based at the university.
Contacting aliens
The SKA is a global science project to build the world's largest and most sensitive radio telescope.
It will give astronomers insight into the formation and evolution of the first stars and galaxies after the Big Bang, the role of cosmic magnetism, the nature of gravity, and possibly even life beyond Earth.
“The SKA project will drive technology development in antennas, fibre networks, signal processing, software and computing, and power. The design, construction and operation of the SKA have the potential to impact skills development, employment and economic growth in science, engineering and associated industries, not only in the host countries but in all partner countries,” says the organisation.
SA is bidding against Australia to host the telescope. A decision on the location of the SKA will be made in 2012.
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