CSIRO opens Observatory office

An external view of CSIRO's MRO Support Facility.

4 July 2013

CSIRO Astronomy and Space Science will today open a new support hub in Geraldton, Western Australia, for the Murchison Radio-astronomy Observatory (MRO).

This local community event marks the official opening of the MRO Support Facility (MSF), and is also an opportunity for the ASKAP team to thank regional stakeholders who have been crucial in the establishment of the MRO, the ASKAP telescope and also the MSF itself.

The MSF is located within the Geraldton Universities Centre, and was designed as the 'home base' for CSIRO staff whose primary role it is to provide remote operations services for ASKAP.

The MSF will also provide critical support services for other international projects under construction at the MRO, such as the Murchison Widefield Array and the future Square Kilometre Array (SKA) telescope.

The main features of the MSF include:

  • Operations Room: allows researchers to remotely access, operate and monitor the ASKAP telescope, as well as other projects underway at the MRO.
  • Portal Room: will provide access for regional researchers who have been awarded time on iVEC's Pawsey Centre supercomputer in Perth via a super-high speed network link.
  • Workshop space for the repair of ASKAP equipment where on-site repairs are not appropriate.
  • Meeting and conference facilities, as well as a home base for CSIRO Educational and Outreach activities in the region.

    • For the future international SKA project, the MSF will also play a pivotal role during in the build out of SKA Phase I, ensuring Australia's future involvement in what will be the world's largest radio telescope.

    Read more about the MRO Support Facility [PDF, 200kB].

    Back to Latest ASKAP News page.

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