SKA Organisation opens international HQ

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29 May 2013 News

The SKA Organisation headquarters at Jodrell Bank Observatory near Manchester, UK, and the Lovell Telescope in the background.

Although South Africa and Australia will have the honour of jointly hosting the SKA, the control hub of the revolutionary project will be housed at the UK site located near to, and with views of, the iconic Lovell Telescope at the University of Manchester’s Jodrell Bank Observatory

In front of an invited audience of local and global dignitaries, scientists and engineers, the UK Minister for Universities and Science, the Rt. Hon. David Willetts MP, opened the building which will be home to the team managing the construction, design and scientific output of the largest radio telescope ever seen on Earth.

From left to right: John Womersley, CEO, STFC (also Chairman of the SKA Organisation); Dame Nancy Rothwell, President and Vice-Chancellor, The University of Manchester; The Rt. Hon. David Willetts MP, UK Minister for Universities and Science; Philip Diamond, Director General, SKA Organisation.

“The Square Kilometre Array is set to be one of the world’s most exciting international science projects, giving us new and unparalleled insights into the universe,” said Willetts MP. “The fact that the UK has been chosen to host the project office is recognition of our leading expertise in science, engineering and design. It will give us a leading role in the development and operation of this groundbreaking telescope.”

The elegant and modern £3,34 million building, funded by the University of Manchester, is a state of the art facility which will eventually be home to upwards of 60 members of staff, including visiting scientists and engineers.

Research organisations around the world, along with leading industrial partners, have been invited to collaborate and submit proposals on the R&D and design of the telescopes and instrumentation which will become the heart of the SKA. This first round of proposals is expected to be evaluated and assessed at the new SKA offices in July of this year.

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SKA Organisation opens international HQ

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