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CSIRO
ASKAP & SKA News for Australian Industry

CSIRO Australia Telescope National Facility

 

22 September 2009

  

 

Welcome to this "new look" edition of ASKAP & SKA News for Australian Industry. This issue includes:

If you have any questions about CSIRO's ASKAP and SKA industry engagement activity, please don't hesitate to contact me.

Kind regards

Carole Jackson
CSIRO ATNF Business Development Manager

Join the Discussion on Phased Array Receivers

CSIRO invites interested engineers to participate in our 3rd Special Technical ASKAP/SKA Industry Discussion Session, "Developing sensitive, ultra-wideband phased array receivers for radio astronomy".

This session will comprise a technical overview of the development of phased array receiver design, followed by an open discussion session on ASKAP challenges and relevance to the SKA.

When: 10am – 12 noon, Friday 23 October 2009
Where: CSIRO ATNF Marsfield, NSW
Agenda:

0945 Coffee
1000 Australia's development of an SKA pathfinder – status and challenges (Dr Carole Jackson)
1015 Designing a phased array feed for astronomy (Dr Stuart Hay)
  • Unique aspects and comparison with current multibeam systems
  • Design and optimisation options
1035 Building the world’s first "chequerboard" phased array feed (PAF) receivers (Russell Gough)
  • ASKAP prototype PAF receivers:
    • System specifications
    • Design options
    • Prototype PAF receiver system
  • Key challenges and future directions:
    • Mass production and testing of receiver packages
    • Component cooling
    • Integrated receivers ("system on a chip")
1100 Developing the next-generation receiver – L-band "system on a chip" (Suzy Jackson)
  • Proof of concept
  • Future development work – scale and viability
1115 Q&A and short industry contributions (5mins) on relevant topics
1200 Wrap up, conclude

Participants will be welcome to tour our laboratory facilities and stay for lunch/further discussions.

RSVPs essential: If you wish to attend this free event, please contact Carole Jackson (carole.jackson@csiro.au) by 16 October 2009. Please also indicate if you would like to present a short industry contribution and include a brief outline.

Expert participants are welcome. Please note that this is not a general briefing on the SKA. 

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Latest ASKAP Technical Update Available

The second edition of ASKAP Technical Update has been published online. For the latest ASKAP-specific technical news visit www.atnf.csiro.au/projects/askap.

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Industry PrepSKA Contact

The international, EU FP7 co-funded "PrepSKA" project will deliver the preliminary plans, costings and structures to enable SKA Phase I to commence post-2012. The participation of industry in SKA is critical, and one of the eight PrepSKA "work packages" focuses on “SKA Procurement and Industry Involvement”.

Mike Bryson (Manager, SKA Taskforce, email michael.bryson@innovation.gov.au) is the key contact at the Australian Department of Innovation, Industry, Science and Research (DIISR), which is coordinating Australia’s input into this important work with contributions from ASKAIC and the government agencies developing the Australia – New Zealand SKA bid. Further activities relating to this preparatory work will be communicated to Australian industry over the next 18 months. Please note that there is no request for direct industry inputs at this time.

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Australia and NZ Form Partnership on SKA

Australia and New Zealand have officially come together as part of the international effort to realise the vision of the SKA, following the signing of a collaboration arrangement in Sydney on 21 August 2009.

To reflect the new arrangement "auSKA" communication materials will be rebranded "anzSKA".

For more information on the joint Australia and New Zealand SKA bid visit www.ska.gov.au or www.ska.govt.nz. More news and information will also follow in anzSKA Newsletter 24, which is due out later this month.

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Your Subscription

You can update or delete your ASKAP & SKA News for Australian Industry subscription details at any time at www.atnf.csiro.au/projects/askap/industry.

Please be assured that you will only receive ASKAP & SKA News for Australian Industry and your email address won't be used for any other purpose.

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Artist's impression of ASKAP antennas. Credit: Swinburne Astronomy Productions, design data provided by CSIRO.

Quick Links

CSIRO ASKAP website
Australia and NZ SKA bid website
Australian SKA Industry Consortium
SKA Program Development Office

What is ASKAP?

The Australian SKA Pathfinder (ASKAP) will be a next-generation radio telescope located in the Mid West region of Western Australia. Made up of 36 antennas, it will enable astronomers to answer questions such as how galaxies form and evolve. It will also demonstrate new technologies that could be used in the future Square Kilometre Array radio telescope project. ASKAP is led by the CSIRO in collaboration with other Australian and international colleagues.

What is the SKA?

A global, mega-science project, the Square Kilometre Array (SKA) will be the world's most powerful centimetre-wave radio telescope. It will consist of a vast array of antennas spread across large distances and will be used to explore the origins of the Universe. Australia and New Zealand, along with Southern Africa, have been shortlisted as possible locations for the SKA. A decision on its location is expected in 2012.

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This newsletter is published by Dr Carole Jackson, CSIRO ATNF Business Development Manager
Phone: +61 2 9372 4407 - Email: carole.jackson@csiro.au