Square Kilometre Array: Towards Construction

平方公里阵列（SKA）将是世界上最大、最灵敏的射电望远镜，并将提供变革性的科学。它将解决关于我们宇宙的基本问题，包括大爆炸后第一批恒星和星系是如何形成的，暗能量是如何加速宇宙膨胀的，宇宙中磁性的作用，引力的本质，以及对地外生命的探索。SKA是一个全球性的项目，目前有12个正式成员。天文台将设在三个国家和大洲，总部设在英国，两个望远镜地点一个在南非，另一个在西澳大利亚。英国一直积极参与望远镜的设计工作，领导了几个关键领域。我们现在寻求利用这种领导地位，通过定位英国在SKA建设期间赢得合同，特别是在软件开发，咨询和硬件系统交付支持领域，并继续参与区域中心的开发，从而保持我们已经建立的领导地位，以便未来参与先进仪器计划和仪器的未来方向将保持。英国已经成功地领导了SKA国际设计联盟中的两个，科学数据处理（SDP）和信号和数据传输（SaDT）。此外，英国团队还领导了脉冲星科学核心子系统非成像处理器（NIP）的设计；观测管理（OM），望远镜管理器的一部分；SKA1-MID的Band 5 （4.6-15.4 GHz）馈电封装；对数周期天线（SKALA4）和SKA1-Low的波束形成数字系统。因此，该申请的重点是最大限度地发挥英国在SKA建设阶段的作用和回报，并帮助确保为英国社区提供最好的设施。为了实现这一目标，我们提出了一项我们已经确立领导地位的领域的工作方案。除了可交付的技术成果外，该项目还需要：确保我们保留在施工前阶段开发的专业知识和技能，以及英国工业在准备施工时的兴趣；与行业合作伙伴和国际合作伙伴合作，准备在有建筑工程招标时作出回应；建立一个英国SKA项目办公室，汇集并加强政策和工程活动。

The Square Kilometre Array (SKA) will be the world's largest, most sensitive radio telescope and will deliver transformational science. It will address fundamental unanswered questions about our Universe including how the first stars and galaxies formed after the big bang, how dark energy is accelerating the expansion of the Universe, the role of magnetism in the cosmos, the nature of gravity, and the search for life beyond Earth. The SKA is a global project, currently with 12 full members. The observatory will be sited in three countries and continents with the headquarters in the UK and two telescope sites one in South Africa and the other in Western Australia. The UK has been heavily involved in the design work for the telescope, leading several key areas. We now seek to capitalize on this leadership by positioning the UK to win contracts during SKA construction, particularly in the areas of software development, consultancy and support for hardware systems delivery, and also to continue participation in the development of Regional Centres and thereby to maintain the leadership position we have established so that future participation in the Advanced Instrumentation Programme and future directions of the instrument will be maintained.The UK has successfully led two of the SKA international design consortia, Science Data Processing (SDP) and Signal and Data Transport (SaDT). In addition, UK teams have led the design of the Non-Imaging Processor (NIP), the core sub-system for Pulsar science; Observation Management (OM), part of the Telescope Manager; the Band 5 (4.6-15.4 GHz) feed package for SKA1-MID; and the log-periodic antennas (SKALA4) and beamformer digital system for SKA1-Low. The focus of this application is therefore to maximise the UK role and return in the construction phase of the SKA and to help ensure the best possible facility for the UK community. To achieve this objective we propose a programme of work in those areas we have already established leadership. In addition to the technical deliverables the programme also needs to: ensure we retain the expertise and skills developed during the pre-construction period and interest from UK industry in preparation for construction; work with industry partners and international partners to prepare to respond to tenders for construction work when they become available; establish a UK SKA project office bringing together and strengthening policy and engineering activity.