History made as SKA Pathfinder data flows

Science and Innovation Minister John Day today welcomed the international board of directors of the Square Kilometre Array (SKA) Organisation as they attend their first meeting on Western Australian soil.

  • SKA Pathfinder captures data in WA's Mid-West for first time
  • International delegation to tour SKA site and infrastructure
  • Western Australia's radio astronomy capabilities on display to the world   

Science and Innovation Minister John Day today welcomed the international board of directors of the Square Kilometre Array (SKA) Organisation as they attend their first meeting on Western Australian soil. 


Mr Day said the visit was a momentous occasion for the State which had been selected as one of two core sites to host the impressive $1.9billion SKA project.


"Today, we will see the first three dishes of the Australian SKA Pathfinder telescope commissioned and receiving data which is a momentous occasion and the first in a number of milestones that will see the wider SKA come on line in 2024," he said.   


"Western Australia is a strong supporter of the SKA project and I have no doubt the radio astronomy delegation will be impressed by our work during its visit, the first time of its kind in the State."


WA's world-leading capabilities in radio astronomy science will be on show, including the:

  • much celebrated Murchison Radio-astronomy Observatory (MRO)
  • International Centre for Radio Astronomy Research (ICRAR)
  • Pawsey High Performance Computing Centre for SKA Science
  • many scientists and engineers who have been attracted to the State. 

The Minister said the delegation will today visit the MRO, 315km north-east of Geraldton, to mark the beginning of scientific observations.


"The MRO is a world-class observatory dedicated to radio astronomy science and is currently the home to two of the three SKA precursor telescopes, the Australian SKA Pathfinder and the Murchison Widefield Array," he said.


"Both instruments are revolutionary in their own right, and together with South Africa's MeerKat telescope, are proving new technologies for the full SKA."

Fact File

  • Australia and Southern Africa will be dual hosts of the SKA
  • Project involves more than 70 institutions in 20 countries in a global initiative to engage in revolutionary radio astronomy science and drive information and communication technology development
  • While in WA, delegates will tour ICRAR and the Pawsey Centre
  • More information at http://www.ska.gov.au

Minister's office - 6552 6200