South Africa Confident on Super-Telescope Bid Ahead of Talks

Scientists all over hope that the Square Kilometre Array or SKA will bring new horizons to man’s fundamental questions about the universe some of which are like why is the universe expanding or is there life beyond our planet and last but not least, how did it all begin? While we may still have some time to wait as the board of directors responsible for the telescope determine the right area to build it in.

Currently the board is deliberating between South Africa and Australia as to who will host the $2 billion SKA. Their decision was expected to be made by next week but the international consortium behind the talks is now expected to take the debate a bit longer to ensure the right decision is made. According to Naledi Pandor, the South African Minister of Science, “We have always been confident of the scientific and technical strength in our bid. Nonetheless, we recognize the importance of inclusivity and the imperative of ensuring all members of the SKA Organisation are part of discussions.”

The members are set to meet on April 3^rd in Amsterdam where hopefully a decision will come for the super-telescope which will be 50 to 100 times more sensitive than today’s most powerful radio telescopes. For information about the specifications of the super-telescope, you can click on this link and please do let us know what you think about this potential monster of an invention with a comment below.

Pradeep Chandrasekaran
Categories: Design
Tags: South Africa