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UK Institutions to Develop the “Brain” of the World’s Largest Radio Telescope

By the end of the decade, we will be able to admire the world’s largest radio telescope. It’s not only about two complementary arrays with hundreds of radio telescope dishes and thousands of antennas but also of an incredible “brain” that can be capable of handling all that. This is what some of the UK’s most prestigious institutions will be focusing on.
The world's largest radio telescope is currently being built 6 photos
Photo: SKAO
SKAO Radio TelescopeSKAO Radio TelescopeSKAO Radio TelescopeSKAO Radio TelescopeSKAO Radio Telescope
Headquartered in the UK, the Square Kilometre Array Observatory (SKAO) will manage the operations of the two future arrays with 197 radio telescope dishes located in South Africa and over 130,000 low-frequency antennas located in Western Australia.

These telescopes, which recently got the green light for construction, are essential because they’ll help scientists understand more about the early universe and how galaxies were born. This will be possible due to their ability to “scan” the sky at greater speeds than existing telescopes.

This is a massive endeavor, with thousands of scientists and engineers from more than 20 countries being involved. In addition to its cutting-edge capabilities, this next-generation telescope needs a “brain” to match. “Without the power to process and organize the vast amounts of information these telescopes will gather, we could not make the important discoveries,” said Professor Mark Thomson, Executive Chair of the Science and Technology Facilities Council (STFC).

STFC has recently awarded £15 million ($19.5 million) to several UK institutions, which will be responsible for the country’s national contribution to the SKAO software development. As this unique telescope is being built, its future “brain” is also being developed. It’s expected to be able to process in real-time a data rate of 8 terabits per second, and to oversee the regional processing centers, adding up to 700 petabytes of data per year.

The University of Cambridge, University of Oxford, and University of Manchester are part of the institutions that will be developing this impressive “brain.” The UK government, through STFC, is the largest contributor to the SKAO project. Once completed, the world’s largest radio telescope is expected to provide unique information over the next 50 years.
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About the author: Otilia Drăgan
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Otilia believes that if it’s eco, green, or groundbreaking, people should know about it (especially if it's got wheels or wings). Working in online media for over five years, she's gained a deeper perspective on how people everywhere can inspire each other.
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