World's largest radio telescope SKA - backed by India - must raise $1 bn to become reality

fate of world's largest radio telescope 'Square Kilometre Array (SKA)' seems to be hanging by a thread after an independent panel of reviewers approved design on Wednesday, as per international reports. But final design and time required to construct telescope will reportedly be determined wher SKA can raise its first $1 billion. Reports furr state that amount pledged by countries involved in project reportedly falls short of $1 billion.

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What will happen if funding doesn't come?

In an interview with science journal Nature, SKA director-general Philip Diamond has revealed that while construction of project is to begin on schedule in 2021, pledges must be confirmed by middle of 2020. Moreover, he said that if funding does t fall through by deadline, collaboration will turn to a scaled-back design costing $771.2 million. scaled-back design will reportedly have reduced computing power and dishes, antennas will be squeezed closer.

Photo: Mujahid Safodien

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What is Square Kilometre Array?

SKA includes 2,000 radio dishes in 9 African countries and 1 million antennas in Australia with a total signal-collecting area of roughly 1 square kilometre. Apart from Australia,  Canada, China, India, Italy, Spain, South Africa, Sweden, Nerlands, United Kingdom and a group of French research organizations are a part of this project, according to Nature. SKA in its full-scale design will be able to create ims 50 times more detailed than Hubble telescope as per reports.

Moreover, telescope will be able to detect signals from ‘epoch of reionization’ - which is when first stars and galaxies began to give off light, as explained by scientist Francisco Colomer. According to SKA's official website, telescope enables astromers to survey entire sky and was first kicked off in 2013. first phase will include 194 dishes in South Africa, along with about 130,000 antennas in Australia and will amount to 10% of total project.

Im: SKA

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Budget comparison with Webb

In comparison, NASA's James Webb telescope, which is Hubble telescope's successor, has cost $10 billion up to date. Webb which is an international project led by NASA with its partners, ESA (European ncy), and Canadian ncy will be launched in 2021. Using Webb, NASA aims to explore our solar system in a deeper manner and probe mysterious structures and origins of our universe and earth's place in it.

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