The Square Kilometre Array (SKA) telescope project is firmly on track, according to science and technology minister Naledi Pandor.
This is in response to questions from Democratic Alliance (DA) shadow minister of science and technology Marian Shinn regarding spending cuts of more than R500 million from the Space Science sub-programme and rescheduling of the SKA project.
“The rescheduling of 2010/11 expenditure to 2012/13 and beyond is a responsible planning response to ensure SKA benefits from evolving development and telescope redesign,” says Pandor.
The minister emphasises that funds are not being cut from the SKA project. “The initially expected utilisation of funds has been adjusted to reflect the actual utilisation of funds to date.
“As Shinn has correctly indicated, the SKA is a 'large science' project. By the very nature of such projects, the flow of funds needs to be monitored constantly and, from time to time, the projected flow will be adjusted.”
She adds that this is what has been done with the SKA and its precursor telescope, the Meerkat.
“The reasons for this are not based on any external considerations, nor do they suggest a setback in the progress of the South African bid. The adjustments are needed to ensure the prototype of the SKA, the MeerKat, is closely aligned to the design requirements of the full SKA.”
The department believes alignment with the full SKA will further strengthen SA's bid against Australia to host this global telescope.
“MeerKAT will be the SKA demonstrator telescope, because SA had an opportunity to review the concept design with the assistance of the global astronomy community representatives.”
Questions answered
The DST announced the spending cut in its Adjusted Estimates of National Expenditure 2010, according to Shinn.
She adds that a note in the “declared savings” of the DST's vote in the budget adjustments before Parliament states that “savings of R508.875 million, due to the rescheduling of the SKA telescope, have been declared”.
Shinn then called on the minister to publicise the reasons for this cut.
Xhead = Big scope
The final decision regarding the successful host country for the SKA telescope is expected in 2012, with work due to start in 2013. Operations will start in 2015, provided a significant portion of the array has been commissioned.
The SKA is a mega telescope, about 100 times more sensitive than the biggest existing radio telescope. It will consist of approximately 3 000 dish-shaped antennae and other hybrid receiving technologies, with a core of about 2 000 antennae and outlying stations of 30 to 40 antennae each, spiralling out of the core. These stations will be spread over a vast area of up to 3 000km.
The DST says research areas will include observational radio astronomy, radio astronomy instrumentation, digital signal processing, distributed data processing and RF broadband feeds, receivers and cryogenic packages.
SA has spent R258 million on securing the project. The DST says R23 million was spent on universities, while R155 million funded building roads to the site. Another R11.5 million was spent on building accommodation.
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