A consortium of African nations, headed by South Africa and including Zambia, has won the mandate to host the Square Kilometre Array (SKA) radio telescope project.
The long and eagerly awaited announcement regarding the site for the Square Kilometre Array (SKA) radio telescope was made following today’s meeting of the members of the SKA Organisation at Schiphol Airport in the Netherlands.
After nine years of work by the South African and Australian SKA site bid teams, the independent SKA Site Advisory Committee (SSAC), composed of world-renowned experts, carried out an objective technical and scientific assessment of the sites in South Africa and Australia, and identified by consensus Africa as the preferred site.
However, in order to be inclusive, the SKA Organisation has agreed to consider constructing one of the three SKA receiver components in Australia. Two will be constructed in Africa. A meeting of the members has decided to split the project which is an unexpected decision given the search for a single site. South Africa had hoped the unambiguous recommendation of the SSAC would be accepted as the most sound scientific outcome. But it accept the compromise in the interest of science and as acknowledgement of the sterling work done by our scientists and the excellent SKA project team.
An important aspect of the site decision is the recognition of the MeerKAT telescope, being designed and built in the Northern Cape Karoo by South African scientists and engineers, as a critical step towards the implementation of the SKA. The MeerKAT will supplement the sensitive SKA Phase 1 dish array, providing the majority of the collection area of what will be the most sensitive radio telescope in the world. This recognition is substantive evidence of the great strides made by the local radio astronomy community since South Africa signalled its interest in the SKA.
South Africa, with its eight partner countries – Botswana, Ghana, Kenya, Madagascar, Mauritius, Mozambique, Namibia and Zambia – have been working on the bid to host the SKA since 2003. The final proposal was submitted to the SKA Siting Group on 15 September 2011.
On the basis of its analysis of technical, scientific and other factors, the SSAC unambiguously and by consensus found in favour of the African proposal, as well as the African implementation plans and cost factors. Consequently, the SSAC recommended South Africa and its partner countries as the preferred site for the SKA.
The decision by the SKA Organisation to build the majority of the SKA in Africa coincides with celebrations for Africa Day today. It also fits in well with the African agenda as it celebrates the 49th anniversary of the founding of the Organisation of African Unity and the 10th anniversary of the African Union. The SKA has been endorsed by the African Union, both in 2010 and earlier this year.
“The SKA project is a global scientific enterprise to build one of the largest scientific instruments ever envisaged. It is being designed to answer fundamental questions in physics, astronomy and cosmology in order for us to understand the origin and workings of the Universe better, and to reveal new and unexpected phenomena that will enthral and challenge us. Since 2005, we have awarded nearly 400 grants and bursaries to postdoctoral fellows and PhD and MSc students and undergraduate students,” said South African Science and Technology Minister Naledi Pandor.
“I would like to thank my Cabinet colleagues, especially the Interministerial Committee on the SKA, the Deputy Minister of Science and Technology, scientists and astronomers, the Presidency, officials at the Department of Science and Technology, in particular the Director-General, Dr Phil Mjwara, and Dr Bernie Fanaroff and the entire team at the Square Kilometre Array Project Office for their unwavering support,” the minister added.
Congrats SA!!
Let us be precise here: IT is SOUTH AFRICA that has won the bid, together with New Zealand and Australia. This report of AFRICA is misleading. South Africa focourse ropped in these other non-SKA members in Africa to partner up with them in using their space for extra telescope antenae locations outside South Africa itself. South Africa is the only member of the SKA and the bid sponsor and most of the system will be located at their advanced facility inside South Africa itself. Strictly speaking it’s got nothing to do with AFRICA as such and I think it is clucthing at straws to celebrate South Africa’s win as an African win. It sounds almost too desparate. It is a South African project. Let’s call it that. That I think also respects the efforts of South African scientists.
Is there a department of astronomy at UNZA? Just wondering.
#3 anyaprawo – we don’t even have an observatory in Zambia. Maybe now South Africa might want to strengthen UNZA by setting up such a department or school for the future of the antennae they are coming to set up in the country. But ta the moment there is none such a department anywhere in the country – not even in government. But I believe we do have scientists, physicists who can be re-trained.
Can’t understand a thing they are talking about, anyway no worries its a Friday the best day of the week. Enjoy the weekend people, no driving if you will be drinking. Remember to use condoms or better still stay home with your family, do some bit of gardening.
Why do journalists write like this. I have a PhD and yet can’t understand at first glance what this is all about. Please try to write for understanding and not to show off.
you are right on the point, i thought i have become dull and can not understand when i read in english having been studying in russian language for years now. forsure, i really do not get the part where zambia comes in all of this, i see the project to be more of south africa than zambia, just hope we can do more.
I agree with you, Bricklayer – but on another note have you noticed how Africans tend to portray the picture that Africa is a country when they want to get something? When it finally comes the ACTUAL country in focus stands out. In this case this was obviously touted as a SADC initiative until the last bell rang…
Congratulations South Africa
@Gokigo Milazhe If you are interested in astronomy we could start an amateur astronomical observatory in Lusaka we don’t have to wait for RSA to come to our aid. I shall soon buy a telescope to start gazing at the stars. That would be fun.
The thing is that South Africa bid in partnership with 8 other African Countries including Zambia. What it means is that the equipment will be installed in all 8 countries, but the data processing and control centers will be in South Africa. This is a great milestone for African and a very good opportunity for advancement of Science.
1984 please back me up. Africa you have been warned some things are best left not requested for.
Why couldn’t african counries build something like these themselves. Even India when broke launched a satelite in the 70s.
# 11:Mwanawakwitu. The SKA is estimated at about $5 billion. Which country in Africa will build that?
Does south africa, nigeria or egypt not have billionaires that could have loaned the countries that money, the rip the rewards on minimal interest. That way building a future for their great grand children.
Am lost. I dont have a clue what this means. The world is getting complicated for we old madalas
@ 12 Mudala :
Does south africa, nigeria or egypt not have billionaires that could have loaned the countries that money, the rip the rewards on minimal interest. That way building a future for their great grand children.
for people like me who believe in science and as an atrophysicist i think this is one of the greatest scientific projects of all time after the particle accelerator and the hubble telescope because it is going find complex questions of the universe and its origin
#6 Bricklayer, you obviously have a doctorate in history cos i dont have a PhD but I understant the article. comment on what u know and DONT expect to understand all technical scientific detail
Good that project is not in Zambia or Batroseland, they could have used the satellite dishes for pots & pans, and that field would have been a pasture for Tonga cows.
This project reminds me of this famous african proffesor at Bingamton University who famously said that while the big powers are trying to get to the moon and beyond,we in Africa are still tying to get to the village.Its easier for some physicist to visit the international space station than for some African villager to move from Mongu to Mazabuka.
#18 Enka Rasha, your professor is an *****. How many Americans have ever traveled 20 miles from their ghettos?
well done south africa! and africa this is a $2 billion project for phase 1 ……..mostly be paid by external investors …..when was the last time the world gave africa billions for hightech science? , as for aus the only get 1/3rd of phase won and won’t get anything from phase 2.
Its also great zambia will get some of this investment , it will help to bring more youths into the field of science
High tech indeed. Bet you can see from Cape Town to Cairo now :)
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