KEY POINTS
- The Square Kilometre Array (SKA) is an international project, currently involving organisations in 19 countries, to build a next-generation radio telescope.
- The international astronomy community has identified two suitable places for locating the SKA – Australia and Southern Africa. The main criteria, especially for the core site, were exceptional radio-quietness and suitable atmosphere and climatic conditions.
- Key areas for business involvement include high-end information and communications technology, advanced manufacturing, energy, infrastructure/construction and transport and operations logistics.
- The Government is cooperating closely with the Western Australian Government and the CSIRO on the Australian bid. Other States and Territories will be invited to join the Australian consortium as appropriate.
- The governments have committed nearly $150 million so far to activities designed to position Australia as the preferred location for the SKA including:
- establishing the Murchison Radio-astronomy Observatory in the Mid-West of Western Australia as the world's best radio observatory and Australia's candidate SKA core site;
- a new $100 million radio telescope, the Australian SKA Pathfinder (ASKAP), being built by CSIRO to prove Australian technology, industry capability and the Australian site;
- developing a leading-edge, capacity in radio astronomy research, engineering and operations in Western Australia;
- participating strongly in the international program to undertake R&D and develop a policy framework for the SKA;
- using Australia's international relationships and diplomatic resources to promote the SKA and Australia's credentials as the host country; and
- informing stakeholders and the general community about the benefits and opportunities offered by the SKA through a comprehensive communications strategy.
FACTS AND FIGURES
The SKA is a true mega-science project in its global reach, scale and scientific and technical ambition. The array will be composed of several thousand antennas up to 5,000kms apart operating as a single instrument. It is planned to have 10,000 times the potential of existing telescopes to make new discoveries. The anticipated capital cost is around $2.45 billion, with an annual operating budget over its 50-year plus lifetime of around $200 million a year.
The Government has recognised that hosting the SKA would bring opportunities and benefits and is endeavouring to attract the project to Australia. The potential benefits range from business opportunities and industry development, boosting local research and innovation and attracting world-class talent, to intangible benefits such as enhancing Australia's global standing and providing an iconic project to draw in young people to science and engineering.