Week of SKAO engagement for UK science minister
On Tuesday 1 July, Lord Vallance was welcomed to the HQ by SKAO Director-General Prof. Philip Diamond, who gave an overview of the latest progress across the Observatory.
The minister also met representatives from the Science and Technology Facilities Council (STFC) – which coordinates the UK’s interests in the SKAO – and was shown some of the innovative technology being developed across the country for the SKA telescopes.
Representatives from UK companies behind key hardware and software systems were on hand to explain the impact of their involvement and the various benefits they are already seeing. Three companies were present: Oxford Cryosystems, which is supplying cryocoolers and compressors for the SKA-Mid telescope in South Africa; Observatory Sciences, which is delivering control systems software; and GMV, which is responsible for the timescales – the “heartbeat” of each telescope.
“The SKA Observatory will be the largest radio telescope observatory in the world, representing the future of radio astronomy. The fact that SKAO’s global HQ is based here in Cheshire underscores the UK's position as a hub for international scientific investment, talent and innovation, and demonstrates the strength of our international science partnerships,” Lord Vallance said.
"Astronomy is about more than just discovery: it matters to the economy too. Astronomy projects like SKAO present vast opportunities for UK industry, while at the same time inspiring the next generation of physicists, scientists and innovators."
The UK has been contributing to the SKA project for decades, including during the telescope design phase. It is playing a leading role in SKAO software development, which is taking place across all partner countries, with contributions from seven UK companies, three STFC national labs and three UK universities.
The SKAO’s partnership with UK institutions was also on show at the Royal Society Summer Science Exhibition in London, where Minister Vallance made his second stop on Thursday 3 July.
At the free week-long exhibition, researchers from institutes all over the UK involved in the SKA project explained their work to the public, including many classes of school students. The exhibit included a wide range of interactive activities to immerse visitors in the SKA world, from a virtual reality visit to the telescope site in Australia, hands-on radio astronomy observations, to listening to the rhythm of pulsars.
“It has been a great pleasure to host Lord Vallance at our headquarters and welcome him to our exhibit at the Royal Society this week,” said SKAO Director-General Prof. Philip Diamond.
“These two engagements were an opportunity to demonstrate not only how the UK science and technology communities are contributing to the Observatory – and benefitting from being part of this international collaboration – but also how the SKAO’s mission is resonating with the public. The enthusiasm of those engaging with SKA experts at the event in London is testament to the impact astronomy has in engaging people of all ages with science.”
