Construction has begun on the world’s largest radio telescope, the $3 billion Square Kilometer Observatory (SKAO), which is being developed over large areas of outback Western Australia and South Africa.
The Minister of Industry and Science, Ed Husic, yesterday officiated the opening ceremony in the country of Wajarri Yamaji, 800 kilometers north of Perth.
An international collaboration of 16 countries, SKAO will be the largest science facility on Earth, network signals are collected at sister telescope sites in the two countries.
More than 100,000 antennas will be built across 74 kilometers in WA’s Murchison region, part of an array that will eventually include thousands of antennas and up to a million low-frequency antennas.
Husic announced that the SKA Observatory had awarded contracts worth more than $320 million to Australian company Ventia to initiate on-site infrastructure projects, including power and fiber networks, and the construction of buildings for to data processing equipment.
Husic said: “Australia’s membership of the SKA Observatory is not only good for industry today, it will inspire generations of Australians to dream big and pursue a career in STEM.
“It will also provide an incredible platform for the nation to showcase our … scientific knowledge and research on the world stage.”
Husic said the project was an extraordinary feat of astronomy, scientific infrastructure and international cooperation.
“This first-of-its-kind technology will allow astronomers to address fundamental scientific questions, ranging from the birth of the Universe to the origins of life.
“We also expect the SKA to attract around $1.8 billion in foreign income flows to Australia over its first 30 years and create around 350 jobs in the medium term.”
Image: Composite image of future SKA telescopes