SKA Setup Validator

The SKA telescopes are being developed to support a wide range of powerful observational modes, designed to enable transformative science across many areas of radio astronomy. As part of our phased delivery, these capabilities will be rolled out progressively—unlocking new functionalities at key milestones. To learn more about the SKA’s capabilities at different key delivery stages, see the Scientific Timeline.  

The first opportunities for community engagement will be during SV of Array Assembly 2 (AA2) and AA*. These phases will be followed by shared-risk Cycle 0 observations, leading into Cycle 1, when standard operations commence. With each stage, the SKA will offer increasingly advanced configurations and data products, building towards its full operational potential. 

Array Assemblies are the SKAO’s pathway to  operations

The Setup Validator is intended to support the community in planning observations during these early phases. This evolving tool allows science users to explore and test whether a proposed observational setup for SKA-Low or SKA-Mid is expected to be supported at different stages of early operations. The Setup Validator can be accessed here. 

Current features of the Setup Validator include:

• Identifying the maximum bandwidth available for the different observing modes (continuum, zoom/spectral line, pulsar search, and pulsar timing) during a given phase.
• Clarifying the imaging products supported by the different observing modes.
• Determining potential commensal observing modes including the number of subarrays and SKA-Low station beams during a given phase.
   

This tool will evolve with the SKA: as capabilities expand, so will the Validator. We invite  users to explore, use, and help shape it. Your insights are welcome—please send feedback to sciops@skao.int.