The SKA – Overview and Update
Peter HallInternational Project Engineer, ISPO
www.skatelescope.org
Perth, WADecember 6, 2006
PJ Hall, December 2006
ISPO
Outline
Square Kilometre Array (SKA)– Science and technology pathfinders SKA
SKA and industry– Host region considerations
SKA happenings– Brief project update– SKA international Design Study initiative
PJ Hall, December 2006
ISPO
SKA at a glance
Aperture synthesis radio telescope with 1 km2 of effective collecting area by 2020Wide frequency range (25 GHz)Transformational science via new technologies
– Huge survey sensitivity; wide fields– High resolutions in time, frequency &
spatial domains– Addresses most “Quarks to
Cosmos” questionsInnovative designInternational funding: > € 1 billion2 short-listed sites: WA and Southern Africa
Cordes et al, SKA Memo 85
x 10 000
PJ Hall, December 2006
ISPO
SKA as e-science
AntennaArray
DSP(“correlator”)
Post-processingHPC
(“imaging”)Tier 0(SKA)
Tier 1(National)
Tier 2(Regional)
Tier 3(Institute)
Europe USA Australia South Africa
Pb/s
0.1 – 1 Tb/s
Gb/s
…………
Tier 4(Researcher)
Proximity of tier-0and tier-1 centres givesspecial innovationpossibilities
PJ Hall, December 2006
ISPO
radio “fish-eye lens”
Inner core: ~1 km dia.
Station
+ stations to3000 km
SKA: pictorially
Highlights Reference Design technologies
PJ Hall, December 2006
ISPO
2000
Site short-listing
‘1% SKA’Science
ISSCMoAs
ScienceCase
published
Inter-governmental discussions
including site selection
First SKA WorkingGroup
Initial concept
2000
‘10% SKA’Science
92 96 04 05 06 07 08 09 10 14 18 22
Feasibility study
Full arrayBuild
100% SKA
SKAComplete
Phase 1Build
10% SKA
Conceptexposition
Define SKA System
SKA timeline
Optimise Design
Referencedesign selected
Construct 1% SKA Pathfinders
Radio interferometers can be built in stages(Inbuilt risk mitigation)
PJ Hall, December 2006
ISPO
Reference Design technology
> 3 GHz: wide-band feed
< 0.3 GHz: sparse aperture array
0.3 – 3 GHz:phased arrayfeed
Innovation path: dense aperture array
Low-Band
Mid-BandHigh-Band
Swinburne/CVA visualization
PJ Hall, December 2006
ISPO
SKA development approachAstronomy & engineering iteration to refine specs
– Rapid convergence
International system design effort
Strong emphasis on technology demonstration
– Retire risk as early as possible– Regional pathfinders are crucial
» > €200M investment
Focus on:– Aggressive cost reduction
strategies– Industry engagement
» Paradigm shift to deliver SKA on required timescales
Reference Designtechnologies
1% (pathfinders) 10% (SKA Phase 1) 100% (SKA)
PJ Hall, December 2006
ISPO
SKA challenges – many domains
Technology
Project Management
Wideband, efficient antennasSensitive, low-cost receiversFast, long-distance, data transportHigh performance DSP & computing hardwareNew data processing and visualization techniques
Evolving science goalsHigh levels of technical riskLarge-scale software engineeringInternational politics
– Possible funding phase slipsAmbitious delivery timescaleIndustry liaison
– Pre-competitive alliances + procurement + project delivery
Performance + Cost
PJ Hall, December 2006
ISPO
Science & engineering exposition
New Astronomy Revs, 48, 2004 Experimental Astronomy, 17, 2004
(www.skatelescope.org for details)
PJ Hall, December 2006
ISPO
SKA and industryMega-science:– “Big money, big machines” ; “unusual size & sophistication”– Very large industry role in development, delivery and operation– Complex discussions re siting, knowledge-intensive components
and juste retourSKA has wide industry appeal– Route to project is (mainly) via regional industry initiatives– Companies see a range of returns on various timescales
Substantial ISPO work (SKA Memos 52, 80)– Pre-competitive R&D, procurement, legal/trade framework, ….
Recent “term sheet” with IBM– Exemplar pre-competitive collaboration framework for regional SKA
partners + industry– Addresses downstream procurement “lock out” concerns
See www.skatelescope.org for industry forum presentations, video, memos, …
PJ Hall, December 2006
ISPO
SKA design & construction expenditure (possible)
0
50
100
150
200
2006 2009 2012 2015 2018 2021
pathfinder (R&D only) detailed system designPhase 1 full arrayinfrastructure
MEu
ros
(200
5)
PJ Hall, December 2006
ISPO
Regional industry – host countrySKA infrastructure is a € 200M projectOpportunities in advanced infrastructure (power, communications, …) as well as civil and related constructionLocal knowledge, and “runs on the board” from pathfinder projects will be importantPossible major role for industry in facility operation– Delivery and operations models (and linkages?) for SKA to be
investigated
Frontier technology returns possible via links with international partners– Juste retour is not legally sustainable, but elementary fair play
arguments tend to separate infrastructure and system technology
PJ Hall, December 2006
ISPO
Industry interaction in host country(possible)
€ 200M
University (or similar incubator) can be instigator, promoter and facilitator of collaboration
PJ Hall, December 2006
ISPO
SKA Industry DaysOpen forums to allow information exchange between SKA (international and regional) and interested industry
SKA is visible to industry– Incl. Alcatel, Cisco, HP,
IBM, Philips, ….
Forums held in Australia, Europe, India, South Africa, US– Next Argentina (Mar. 07)
See www.skatelescope.orgfor presentations, video, …
PJ Hall, December 2006
ISPO
SKA happenings - 2006 milestonesReference Design selection
– Key development technologies identifiedSite short-listingMajor progress in pathfinders: KAT, xNTD, SKADS, …..Funding Agencies Working Group formation
– International SKA Forum proposalParis working meeting
– Extensive science-engineering interaction – a.k.a. tough talking!– Identified concept exposition, spec setting processes
First-round infrastructure study completeEuropean 7th framework submission being prepared
– Umbrella for international SKA Design Study– 50:50 EU: institute matching ~ € 20M total– Includes players outside Europe as full participants
» Coordinated via ISPO + regional SKA consortia– De-couples base SKA Phase 1 from wide field-of-view technologies– To be submitted March 31, 2007
PJ Hall, December 2006
ISPOFP7 topics
(“SKA Preparatory Phase”) WP1: Preparatory phase managementWP2: SKA system design– Includes initial verification system
WP3: Continuing site selection processWP4: Governance model (incl. legal entity)WP5: Industry and procurement policyWP6: Funding model (phasing, EIB, …)WP7: SKA impact on existing institutesWP7: Implementation strategy, constr. MoU
Strong ISPO – regional collaboration
PJ Hall, December 2006
ISPOPath ahead - SKA engineering timeline
InitialRef.
Design
06 07 08 09 10 11 12 13 141 2 3 4Quarter 1 2 3 4 1 2 3 4 1 2 3 4 1 2 3 4 1 2 3 4 1 2 3 4 1 2 3 4
Endorsecandidate
technologies
IEAC review
SKADS End
Start P1 dish
const.
Define SKA Program
Set SKA & SKA-P1 init.
specs
ISSC/gov. bodyExternal inputFor information
SKA-P1
PDR
InitialVerif.
System
SKA-P1
CDR
Initialscience
ops
SKA System Design Phase 1 Construction
WFoV
PDR
WFoV
CDR
Start P1
WFoVconst.
WFoVProd. Verif. Units
SKADS, KAT, ATA, xNTDmid-termresults
FinalSKA
specs
TDP endTDP start
xNTD & KAT commis’d
‘Final’ SKA-P1specs
Presentation toUS DecadalSurvey
SKA FP7 Design Study