Autumn 2022 Australian SKA Office update
The SKA Observatory and the French National Centre for Scientific Research signed a cooperation agreement at an SKA event held at the Australian Embassy in Paris on 7 March 2022. Credit: Australian SKA Office.
I’m pleased to report that the SKA Observatory’s procurements for the major SKA-Low infrastructure packages are progressing through their tender phases. I expect that the first of these contracts will be awarded in the coming months. Anthony Holzwart, Australia’s Industry Liaison Officer for the project, continues to work closely with the companies bidding for these contracts to connect them with local businesses interested in subcontracting. You can reach Anthony on ska.ilo@industry.gov.au if you’re interested in getting in touch.
Internationally, more and more countries are joining or progressing their membership to the SKA Observatory. This year has already seen cooperation agreements signed with India and France, and Switzerland has officially become the Observatory’s eighth member. This is great news, as the more countries that contribute to the project, the healthier it will be.
Finally, if you’re interested in more information on the project – including developments from the other 15 participating nations, I highly encourage you to subscribe to the SKA Observatory’s quarterly magazine Contact. It’s a great read and gives a real perspective of how international this project is. You can subscribe here for free.
Until next time – stay safe.
Ben Scandrett, Executive Manager, Australian SKA Office