How talent, innovation and consistent delivery put SA on the global astronomy map Kobus Cloete Wednesday, 11 November 2015 Overview • Radio astronomy • The Square Kilometre Array (SKA) • SKA South Africa/Africa journey • Current activities • Conclusion Radio Astronomy Radio astronomy is the study of celestial objects that give off radio waves. With radio astronomy, we study astronomical phenomena that are often invisible or hidden in other portions of the electromagnetic spectrum. (NRAO website) Well known Radio Telescopes Effelsberg – 100 m Jodrell Bank - 76 m Green Bank Telescope – 100 m Parkes – 64 m Well known Radio Telescopes FAST – 500 m Arecibo – 305 m Well known Radio Telescopes JANSKY VERY LARGE ARRAY (JVLA) Square Kilometre Array (SKA) Mid Frequency Aperture Array Low Frequency Aperture Array Dishes What is the SKA? • The world's largest and most sensitive radio telescope – About 50 times more sensitive, and up to 10000 faster (in terms of its survey speed) than the best radio telescopes of today. – Powerful enough to sense radio waves from objects millions or even billions of light years away from Earth. • SKA organisation – 10 member countries are the cornerstone of the SKA – Around 100 organisations across about 20 countries are participating in the design and development of the SKA. • The main bulk of the SKA will be built in two main phases, between 2018 and the late 2020s Sources: http://www.ska.ac.za/qa/ https://www.skatelescope.org/project/ South Africa - Why the SKA? National priorities expressed in: – White Paper on Science and Technology (1996) – National Research and Technology Foresight (2000) – National Research and Development Strategy (2002) – Innovation towards a knowledge-based economy: 10 year Innovation Plan (DST) (2008-2018) – Supporting above initiatives and strategies including the Science, Technology and Innovation Strategy for Africa (STISA). SKA in Africa Partner Countries: • Botswana • Ghana • Kenya • Madagascar • Mauritius • Mozambique • Namibia • South Africa • Zambia Where did our journey start? • 2002 – Proposal by SA Astronomers/Scientists to participate in the SKA Site Bid (December 2002) • 2003 – January 2003 - SKA SA project office established, Dr Bernie Fanaroff appointed as Director – Initial expression of interest to host the SKA May 2003; supplementary information December 2003 Where did our journey start? • 2004 – Human Capital Development & outreach – early 2004 – Decision to build a telescope in July 2004; Treasury, Lotto and Innovation Fund commitments for KAT obtained in 2004 & 2005 Pres. Thabo Mbeki: Opening of Parliament 2004 “..the construction at Sutherland, the Northern Cape, of the largest optical, infrared telescope in the southern hemisphere will be completed in December 2004. A formal bid has been submitted for us to host the largest radio telescope ever built, the so-called Square Kilometre Array Telescope. Namibia is host to the most powerful gamma ray (HESS) telescope in the world, which has now been commissioned. I mention all these to indicate the development of our region as a Global Hub for Astronomy and Space Sciences and Technology. This underlines the need for us to devote more resources to the development of science and technology.” Where did our journey start? • 2005 - 2006 – (First) Site bid documents submitted in December 2005 and March 2006; – RSA shortlisted with Australia September 2006; • Argentina, Australia, China, South Africa, and the USA. – Further Treasury Funds for MeerKAT November 2006 SKA Concept in 2005/6 • Single site • Mixed receptor core In 2005/6 • Decision and support to build our own radio telescope • Good engineers and physicists • Few radio astronomers/scientists • Initial phases of the human capacity development programme • Small infrastructure team in Johannesburg and a telescope engineering team in Pinelands (around 30 people) • Good industry partners • Pristine site in the Karoo • One of two countries left in the ‘competition’ to host the SKA • Lacked radio astronomy skills and experience (engineering and science) Strategy • Develop skills of team by: – Visits to international radio astronomy organisations and telescopes – Attending international training courses and events – Visits by international radio astronomers and scientists to South Africa offices • International collaborations • Expanded the HCD programme • Developed strategy for development and construction of our own telescope(s) Visits VLA (USA) ATA (USA) GMRT (India) ATCA (Australia) Strategy (Development and Construction) • Early buy in and support for sound Project Management and System Engineering processes and practices • PMs and SEs appointed from as early as 2005 • Many challenges due to uncertainties – How to maintain flexibility while maintaining focus on cost, quality and schedules • Adopted a risk driven systems engineering approach from early on • Tailored processes and procedures • Strategic partnerships with local industries • Invested in HCD and team training Risk driven phased development strategy SKA MeerKAT KAT-7 XDM PED 4x3x2 PAF 2004 Key milestones and achievements • March 2005: First engineers appointed • 2006: Acquisition of Losberg and Meysdam farms • December 2007: Agreement for ARC station Klerefontein to be used indefinitely as the support base • December 2007: XDM construction completed at HartRAO, started definition and design of KAT7 • March 2008: 14000ha acquired – farms Losberg and Mey’s Dam • 2008: AGA Act published • February 2009: Road from Carnarvon to site upgraded, accommodation, offices and workshops at Klerefontein completed • March 2009: Roads on site completed, Dish construction shed and accommodation on site completed • March 2009: Antenna foundations for KAT-7 prototype completed. • April 2009: First KAT-7 dish on site Protected the site AGA Act 2007 Northern Cape 4% population 40% land area Key milestones and achievements • October 2009: Optical fibre & optimized hybrid power transmission line to site • December 2009: KAT7 dishes on site, fringes found • April 2010: First image using 4 antennas • January 2011: Grid power and data connections to site established • February 2011: Operations centre for remote ops established in Cape Town • March 2011: Draft of hosting Request for Information circulated to the Candidate Sites • 25 June 2011: Final RFI issued to the Candidate Sites • 15 September 2011: Candidate Sites submitted responses to RFI • September 2011: MeerKAT infrastructure critical design review completed • February 2012: MeerKAT infrastructure contracts awarded • June 2012: SKA site bid announcement • June 2012: MeerKAT antenna tender awarded SKA Concept from 2010 Progress at time of site decision Site decision 2013 to late SKA 2020s July 2011 MeerKAT Engineering specification freeze and detail engineering design MeerKAT PDR & Spec Freeze In Karoo – 2012 to 2016 and risk mitigation June 2010. MeerKAT CoDR & Concept Design Review by international panel for 2010: Seven 12 m dishes (composite URS Freeze final selection of MeerKAT technologies and scope materials) built on site. Precursor to KAT-7 sign-off MeerKAT. (Still operational and being used for science) Advanced development & pre-production phases Build and test 4x3x2 2007. 15m diameter single dish leading into KAT-7 detailed focal plane array (composite materials) prototype engineering design technology to decide on system completed, tested, lessons learnt. technical feasibility and (Still operational modified for Pulsar XDM technology maturity for observations) possible MeerKAT deployment. Completed 2006. Simple interferometer built to 2006 (considered to be develop software skills & pilot remote PED too high risk – control software for XDM. Completed – 4x3x2 PAF technology not at SAAO Cape Town 2004 selected for further development. KAT7 XDM MeerKAT Collaborations Developed and grown through the years. – Mutual benefit agreements • DOME – IBM Europe, ASTRON (Netherlands), SKA SA, possibly Cambridge University: various aspects of high performance computing • SKA SA and IBM USA – machine learning • Intel and SKA SA: pushing next generation chips • Nokia Siemens and SKA: data transport – CASPER collaboration – NASA JPL – AERAP • European Parliament established the Africa-Europe Radio Astronomy Platform to mobilize funding and collaboration • Other systems on site (PAPER, HERA, C-BASS) Human Capacity Development • Human capacity development programme – Develop young talent – Attract international renowned scientists to Universities Total - 417 Artisan Training Program • Artisan Training Program – Initiated program in 2011, to provide skills training opportunities to the youth in the towns close to the SKA SA site, because learners from these towns have not, up to now, qualified to enter universities / universities of technology (or take up SKA SA bursaries). – SKA SA-supported students attend FET colleges in Kimberley or Bloemfontein to study towards artisan qualifications. May 2012 Research Chairs SKA SA research chairs • Provide backbone of SKA SA academic infrastructure • Aims to strengthen science and engineering in SA by attracting and retaining excellence in research and innovation at South African universities. – Five research chairs relevant to the SKA project are currently funded: • Radio astronomy Techniques and Technologies (Rhodes University) • Electromagnetic Systems and Electromagnetic Interference Mitigation (Stellenbosch University) • Extragalactic Multi-Wavelength Astronomy (University of Cape Town) • Astronomy and Astrophysics (University