Square Kilometre Array

The Square Kilometre Array (SKA) is an international mega-science project being constructed across two primary locations in the Southern Hemisphere. The SKA-low frequency array is being built in Western Australia, while the SKA-mid frequency array is located in the Karoo region of South Africa. These remote locations were chosen to minimize radio frequency interference from human activity.

Upon full completion, the SKA will be the world's largest and most sensitive radio telescope, comprising thousands of individual antennas. The Australian site alone will feature over 130,000 low-frequency antennas designed to catch the longest radio wavelengths. The combined collecting area of the entire array will be approximately one square kilometer, giving the telescope its name.

The SKA is designed to answer fundamental questions about the universe, such as how the very first stars and galaxies formed after the Big Bang. It will also conduct extensive searches for Earth-like exoplanets and attempt to detect extremely faint radio signals that could indicate extraterrestrial intelligence. Additionally, it will be used to study the mysterious nature of dark energy and dark matter.

The Square Kilometre Array is currently in its construction phase, having officially broken ground on the initial phases in late 2022. The project is incredibly complex and relies on the collaboration of over a dozen member countries. The first phase of the observatory (SKA Phase 1) is expected to be fully operational and conducting early science by the late 2020s.