The world's largest and most sensitive radio telescope, being built in South Africa and Australia, will have a distinct Indian imprint.
Every movement of the Square Kilometer Array (SKA) telescope will be guided by a system being developed by a global team of scientists led by Indians.
Scientists from the National Centre for Radio Astrophysics (NCRA), Raman Research Institute (RRI) and leading software research organisations will be involved in the design and implementation of the main control and monitoring system for this complex radio telescope.
“India will have the leadership role in developing the control and monitoring system for the telescope,” Ishwara Chandra, a senior scientist at NCRA, told PTI.
A week ago, the members of the SKA organisation decided to build the two-billion-dollar telescope in South Africa and Australia, an announcement welcomed by the leadership and the scientific communities of both the countries. Currently, India is an associate member of the SKA Organisation and is expected to become a full member later this year.
Ready by 2024
When completed by around 2024, the telescope will be 50 times more sensitive than current instruments and capable of spotting a television signal from a nearby star.
“Scientists in South Africa are very happy with the site decision and are eager to start work with their Australian colleagues on implementing the SKA,” South African Science and Technology Minister Naledi Pandor told PTI.
The SKA will be used to search the universe for answers about how stars and galaxies are formed and how galaxies and the universe have evolved over the past 14 billion years.