Some might be interested to see what the South Africans are doing on the SKA project. They are of course competing with Australia to host the facility.
All the attachments from the newsletter below have been stripped out, but you can get the full version at www.ska.ac.za
************ Toss Gascoigne and Associates 56 Vasey Cres CAMPBELL ACT 2612
P. 02 6249 7400 M. 0408 704 442 E. director@tossgascoigne.com.au W. tossgascoigne.com.au Skype. tossgascoigne
ABN: 31 068 557 522 *************
Begin forwarded message:
> > > > > > October 2010 > > Innovative new design for SA’s MeerKAT > > Following an extensive engineering design process, the baseline > design concept for the South African MeerKAT precursor telescope has > been decided. This design process consisted of an in-depth design > study that investigated implementation options and tradeoffs for all > key subsystems, and culminated in a Concept Design Review (CoDR) > undertaken by an independent panel of international experts. Read on > > New measurements of radio frequency interference > > The radio quietness of a proposed site for a radio telescope – in > other words, the absence of interfering radio signals from mobile > phones, televisions, radios and other electrical devices – will be > one of the key considerations in selecting whether the core array of > the Square Kilometre Array (SKA) will be built in South Africa or > Australia. Read on > > Africa unites behind continent’s SKA bid > > The African SKA Working Group held its 5th meeting in Accra, Ghana > from 1-2 September 2010. The purpose of the African SKA Working > Group is to facilitate action on issues relevant to Africa’s bid for > the SKA, including; site characterisation and readiness and the > development of radio astronomy in Africa and science and engineering > capacity development at local universities. Read on > > IAU Astronomy Development Office will be in South Africa > > The international astronomy community has decided to base its new 10- > year programme to promote astronomy in the developing world in South > Africa. The new International Astronomical Union (IAU) Office for > Astronomy Development will be at the South African Astronomical > Observatory in Cape Town. This positions South Africa as a leader in > an ambitious global strategy to bring astronomy to developing > countries across the world. Read on > > Global partnerships to meet SKA demands > > The SKA Africa Project works closely with leading science and > engineering teams around the globe. These collaborations make it > possible to push the boundaries of science and technology towards > fulfilling the scientific, engineering and technical requirements of > the SKA. Read on > > Developing skills for the future > > The SKA Africa Project has energised the development of high level > skills in radio astronomy and related engineering disciplines in > Southern Africa. The number of professionals working in radio > astronomy increased from 12 in 2003 to 54 in 2010. There are now > also about seventy engineers, scientists and technicians in the > Project’s office working on the development and construction of the > MeerKAT telescope. Read on > > SKA Africa boosts maths and science at nearby schools > > SKA Africa’s schools outreach programme aims to change the face of > science and mathematics teaching in Carnarvon and Williston – the > towns nearest to South Africa’s proposed site for the core of the > SKA telescope. Read on > > Northern Cape communities gear up to support Africa’s SKA bid > > The SKA Africa project has established stakeholder forums in the > towns of Carnarvon and Williston, and is in the process of setting > up a similar forum in Van Wyksvlei. These small Karoo towns are > located in the region of the proposed site for the core of the SKA. > The forums will keep these communities up to date on Africa’s bid to > host the SKA, as well as the building of the MeerKAT radio telescope > in the same area. Read on > > HartRAO 26m radio telescope recommissioned > > The 26m diameter radio telescope at the South Africa’s > Hartebeesthoek Radio Astronomy Observatory (HartRAO) has been > recommissioned following a major repair project. Built in 1960 as > part of NASA’s Deep Space Programme, the main bearing in the > telescope’s polar shaft failed in October 2008 and the telescope had > to be shut down. Read on > > Houwteq Anechoic Room Facility > > The Houwteq test facilities are operated by the Institute for > Satellite and Software Applications (ISSA), a government facility > managed by South Africa’s Department of Communications. The > facilities are located near Grabouw in the Western Cape, about 100 > km East of Cape Town. Read on > > Updated branding for SKA Africa > The branding (logo) of the SKA Africa project has been adjusted to > reflect our key partnership with other African countries in our bid > to host the Square Kilometre Array. Read on > > > New home for SKA Africa in Cape Town > The Cape Town office of the SKA Africa project has relocated to new > premises. The new street and postal address is: SKA SA, 3rd Floor, > The Park, Park Road, Pinelands, 7405, South Africa. Read on > > > For more information, please visit www.ska.ac.za > > > — > This message has been scanned for viruses and > dangerous content by Pinpoint Securemail, > and is believed to be clean.
_______________________________________________ ASC-list mailing list list@asc.asn.au http://www.asc.asn.au/index.php?option=com_content&task=view&id=97&Itemid=115