Australia hopeful of radio telescope Square Kilometer Array

William Atkins
Wednesday, 09 April 2008 20:23

Science - Space

Starting on Wednesday, April 9, 2008, scientists, engineers, and government officials are attending the International SKA Forum 2008 in Perth, Western Australia, to work out the technical details of the SKA telescope project.

According to the Forum’s website, the group “… will bring together a range of people from around the world who are either actively engaged in the SKA preparatory work or who have an interest in learning more about it – including scientists, engineers, public officials, business people and people from the sphere of science education and awareness.”

Currently Western Australia and South Africa are the prime candidates for the site. Both are heavily investing in the project in order to secure it for their respective region.

Kim Carr, the Federal Science Minister in Western Australia, is hopeful that they can acquire the SKA project for Australia. About $100 million has already been promised by the Australian government if the project is secured by Western Australia.

The SKA telescope project is estimated to be initially worth about $2.5 billion, along with about $200 million annually over a fifty-year period.

Carr stated, “It will intensify international collaboration and create high-skill, high-wage jobs for half a century. Millions of dollars have already been committed for the radio astronomy project from Western Australia.” [Perch Now: “Scienties gather in Perth for SKA talks”]

In fact, approximately $20 million is reported to have been secured on establishing an International Radio Astronomy Research Center at Murchison if the SKA proposal is won by Australia.

Premier Alan Carpenter, of the Western Australia government, stated, “We already have the best site in the world; now we want the best science in the world. We want WA to provide not only the site, but also the infrastructure and the people doing the core science and engineering.” [Perch Now]