Editing Square Kilometre Array (section)

== History ==
The Square Kilometre Array (SKA) was originally conceived in 1991 with an international working group set up in 1993. This led to the signing of the first Memorandum of Agreement in 2000.<ref>{{cite web |url=https://unitedkingdom.skatelescope.org/ska-project/ska-timeline/ |title = SKA Timeline - SKA UK| work=SKA UK }}</ref>

In the early days of planning, China vied to host the SKA, proposing to build several large dishes in the natural limestone depressions ([[karst]]) that dimple its southwestern provinces; China called their proposal [[KARST|Kilometer-square Area Radio Synthesis Telescope]] (KARST).<ref>{{cite web |title=Kilometer-square Area Radio Synthesis Telescope—KARST |first1=R. |last1=Nan |display-authors=etal |url=https://www.skatelescope.org/uploaded/8481_17_memo_Nan.pdf |date=16 June 2002| archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20161005144909/https://www.skatelescope.org/uploaded/8481_17_memo_Nan.pdf |archive-date=5 October 2016 | url-status=live }}</ref><ref>{{cite journal | title = An Optimal Design of Array Configuration of KARST for SKA | journal = Acta Astronomica Sinica | volume = 44 | pages = 31 | first = Yan | last = Su | display-authors = etal | url = http://zmtt.bao.ac.cn/xian/proceedings/SuY/fin/SuY.pdf| date = Feb 2003| archive-url = https://web.archive.org/web/20160303234850/http://zmtt.bao.ac.cn/xian/proceedings/SuY/fin/SuY.pdf | archive-date = 3 March 2016 | url-status = live | bibcode = 2003AcASn..44S..31S }}</ref>

Australia's first [[radio quiet zone]] was established by the [[Australian Communications and Media Authority]] on 11 April 2005 specifically to protect and maintain the current "radio-quietness" of the main Australian SKA site at the [[Murchison Radio-astronomy Observatory]].<ref>{{cite web |title=Planning for the radio astronomy service |url=http://www.acma.gov.au/WEB/STANDARD/pc=PC_100628 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20070909092701/http://www.acma.gov.au/WEB/STANDARD//pc=PC_100628 |url-status=dead |archive-date=9 September 2007 |access-date=3 June 2012 }}</ref>

The project has two phases of construction: the current SKA1, commonly just called SKA, and a possible later significantly enlarged phase sometimes called SKA2.<ref name="SKAO 2022">{{cite web | title=SKA Telescope specifications | website=SKAO | date=28 June 2022 | url=https://www.skao.int/en/science-users/118/ska-telescope-specifications | access-date=13 September 2022}}</ref> PrepSKA commenced in 2008, leading to a full SKA design in 2012. Construction of Phase 1 {{update after |2020 |text=was scheduled to take place from 2018 to 2020,}} providing an operational array, with Phase 2 {{update after |2025 |text=completion in 2025.}}{{citation needed|date=March 2019}}

[[File:At Jodrell Bank Observatory 2018 040.jpg|thumb|right|The SKA headquarters at Jodrell Bank, with the [[Lovell Telescope]] in the background]]
In April 2011, [[Jodrell Bank Observatory]] of the [[University of Manchester]], in [[Cheshire]], England was announced as the location for the project headquarters.<ref name=BBC2011-04-02 /> In November 2011, the SKA Organisation was formed as an [[intergovernmental organisation]]<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.universal-sci.com/headlines/2019/8/20/first-country-has-approved-participation-in-constructing-the-largest-telescope-the-world-has-ever-known|title=First country has approved participation in constructing the largest telescope the world has ever known|date=20 August 2019 }}</ref> and the project moved from a collaboration to an independent, not for profit, company.<ref name=SKAorg>{{cite news | url= http://www.skatelescope.org/the-organisation/ | title= The organisation | publisher= SKA Organisation | access-date= 21 May 2012 | archive-url= https://web.archive.org/web/20120904115214/http://www.skatelescope.org/the-organisation/ | archive-date= 4 September 2012 | url-status= dead }}</ref>

In February 2012, a former Australian SKA Committee{{clarify|how were these committees organized?  under what organizational structure?|date=August 2019}} chairman raised concerns with South African media about risks at the Australian candidate site, particularly in terms of cost, mining interference and land agreements. SKA Australia stated that all points had been addressed in the site bid.<ref>{{cite news
|url=http://www.iol.co.za/the-star/oz-telescope-body-under-microscope-after-ex-chairman-raises-difficult-questions-1.1239657 |title= Oz telescope body under microscope after ex-chairman raises difficult questions|last=Carpenter |first=Avery |date=22 February 2012 |newspaper=[[The Star (South Africa)|The Star]] |access-date=26 March 2012 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20140329065823/http://www.iol.co.za/the-star/oz-telescope-body-under-microscope-after-ex-chairman-raises-difficult-questions-1.1239657 |archive-date=29 March 2014 |url-status=live }}</ref> In March 2012 it was reported that the SKA Site Advisory Committee had made a confidential report in February that the South African bid was stronger.<ref name="age 20120309">{{cite news|last=Flitton|first=Daniel|title=Australia on the outer for largest space telescope|url=http://www.theage.com.au/national/australia-on-the-outer-for-largest-space-telescope-20120309-1upwr.html|access-date=9 March 2012|newspaper=[[The Age]]|date=10 March 2012}}</ref> However a scientific working group was set up to explore possible implementation options of the two candidate host regions,<ref>{{cite news | title =Further delays signalled in super-telescope plan | agency =AFP | work =[[The Australian]] | date =5 April 2012 | url =http://www.theaustralian.com.au/australian-it/further-delays-signalled-in-super-telescope-plan/story-e6frgakx-1226319328674 | access-date =10 April 2012 | archive-url =https://web.archive.org/web/20120410043337/http://www.theaustralian.com.au/australian-it/further-delays-signalled-in-super-telescope-plan/story-e6frgakx-1226319328674 | archive-date =10 April 2012 | url-status =live }}</ref> and on 25 May 2012 it was announced that it had been determined that the SKA would be split over the South African and African sites, and the Australia and New Zealand sites.<ref name="bbc1">{{cite news |url=https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/science-environment-18194984|title=Africa and Australasia to share Square Kilometre Array|last=Amos|first=Jonathan|date=25 May 2012|publisher=BBC|access-date=20 June 2018|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20180820140222/https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/science-environment-18194984|archive-date=20 August 2018|url-status=live}}</ref> While New Zealand remained a member of the SKA Organisation in 2014, it appeared that no SKA infrastructure was likely to be located in New Zealand.<ref name="Australia">{{cite web|url=https://www.skatelescope.org/location/australia/|title=Australia - SKA Telescope|date=2014|publisher=SKA|access-date=22 May 2014|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20140615002233/https://www.skatelescope.org/location/australia/|archive-date=15 June 2014|url-status=live}}</ref>

In April 2015, the headquarters of the SKA project were chosen to be located at the [[Jodrell Bank Observatory]] in the UK,<ref name=ska20141028>{{cite web |url=https://www.skatelescope.org/ska-organisation/ |title=The SKA Organisation |publisher=SKA Organisation |access-date=28 October 2014 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20150223142143/https://www.skatelescope.org/ska-organisation/ |archive-date=23 February 2015 |url-status=live }}</ref><ref name=bbc20150429>[https://www.bbc.com/news/science-environment-32523768 UK to be giant telescope's HQ] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20181002221937/https://www.bbc.com/news/science-environment-32523768 |date=2 October 2018 }}. Jonathan Amos, ''BBC News''. 29 April 2015.</ref> officially opened in July 2019.{{citation needed|date=December 2022}}

Initial construction contracts began in 2018. Scientific observations with the fully completed array {{update after |2027 |text=are not expected any earlier than 2027.}}<ref name=physicsworld201907/><ref>[https://www.skatelescope.org/wp-content/uploads/2018/08/16231-Factsheets-operational-model-v4.pdf Technical information: the operational model] (SKA, 2 August 2018)</ref>

On 12 March 2019, the Square Kilometre Array Observatory (SKAO) was founded in Rome by seven initial member countries: Australia, China, Italy, the Netherlands, Portugal, South Africa and the United Kingdom. India and Sweden are expected to follow shortly, and eight other countries have expressed interest to join in the future. This international organisation was tasked with building and operating the facility, with the first construction contracts {{update after |2020 |text=expected to be awarded in late 2020.}}<ref name=skao-founding>{{cite press release |url=https://www.skatelescope.org/news/founding-members-sign-ska-observatory-treaty/ |title=Founding Members Sign SKA Observatory Treaty |publisher=Square Kilometre Array Organisation |date=12 March 2019 |access-date=14 March 2019 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20190330054801/https://www.skatelescope.org/news/founding-members-sign-ska-observatory-treaty/ |archive-date=30 March 2019 |url-status=live }}</ref>

By mid-2019, the start of scientific observations were expected to start no earlier than 2027.<ref name=physicsworld201907/> In July 2019, New Zealand withdrew from the project.<ref name=physicsworld201907>{{cite news |url=https://physicsworld.com/a/new-zealand-pulls-out-of-the-square-kilometre-array-after-benefits-questioned |title=New Zealand pulls out of the Square Kilometre Array after benefits questioned |publisher=IOP Publishing |work=Physics World |date=4 July 2019 |access-date=5 July 2019 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20190704174649/https://physicsworld.com/a/new-zealand-pulls-out-of-the-square-kilometre-array-after-benefits-questioned/ |archive-date=4 July 2019 |url-status=live }}</ref>

{{As of|November 2020}}, five precursor facilities were already operating: [[MeerKAT]] and the [[Hydrogen Epoch of Reionization Array]] (HERA) in South Africa, the [[Australian SKA Pathfinder]] (ASKAP) and [[Murchison Widefield Array]] (MWA) in [[Western Australia]] and the International LOFAR Telescope, spread across Europe with a core in the Netherlands.<ref>{{cite web |title=Precursors and Pathfinders |url=https://www.skatelescope.org/precursors-pathfinders-design-studies/ |website=Square Kilometre Array |access-date=22 November 2020}}</ref>

The construction phase of the project began on 5 December 2022 in Australia and South Africa, with delegations from each of the eight countries leading the project attending ceremonies to celebrate the event.<ref>{{cite web|title=SKA: Construction to begin on world's biggest telescope| first= Jonathan |last= Amos|url=https://www.bbc.com/news/science-environment-63836496| website=[[BBC News]]|date=5 December 2022|access-date=5 December 2022}}</ref> The Australian part of the project comprises 100,000 antennas built across {{cvt|74|km}}, also in the [[Murchison region]], in the [[traditional owners|traditional lands]] of the [[Wajarri]] Aboriginal people. [[Bulldozer]]s {{update after |2023|06 |text=were expected to start working on the site in early 2023,}} {{update after |2028 |text=with the completion date estimated as 2028.}} The site has been named {{lang|wbv|Inyarrimanha Ilgari Bundara|italics=unset}}, which means {{gloss|sharing sky and stars}} in the [[Wajarri language]].<ref name=firstoz2022>{{cite web | last=Clifford | first=Rachael | title=Square Kilometre Array Telescope construction begins in West Australian outback |publisher = [[Australian Broadcasting Corporation]] | website=ABC News| date=5 December 2022 | url=https://www.abc.net.au/news/2022-12-05/square-kilometre-array-telescope-construction-begins-in-wa/101733396 | access-date=6 December 2022}}</ref>

The [[Department of Atomic Energy]] (DAE) in India and [[UK Research and Innovation]] (UKRI) are investigating the possibility of establishing [[supercomputing]] facilities to handle data from the Square Kilometre Array radio telescope. The UK and India are part of the team developing the computational processing for the SKA radio telescope.<ref>{{Cite web |date=18 October 2023 |title=UK, India Scientists To Collaborate In Astronomy, Bio-Imaging |url=https://www.ndtv.com/india-news/uk-india-scientists-to-collaborate-in-astronomy-bio-imaging-4492943 |access-date=2024-01-03 |website=NDTV.com}}</ref> On 3 January 2024, Indian government approved joining the SKA project accompanied by a financial commitment of ₹1,250 crore which marks the initial step towards ratification as a member state.<ref>{{Cite web |last=Marar |first=Anjali |date=2024-01-03 |title=Another eye in sky, on ground: India is now part of world's largest radio telescope project |url=https://indianexpress.com/article/india/another-eye-in-sky-on-ground-india-is-now-part-of-worlds-largest-radio-telescope-project-9092577/ |access-date=2024-01-03 |website=The Indian Express |language=en}}</ref>