The SKA –Overview and Update

The SKA – Overview and Update

Peter HallInternational Project Engineer, ISPO

www.skatelescope.org

Perth, WADecember 6, 2006

PJ Hall, December 2006

ISPO

Outline

Square Kilometre Array (SKA)– Science and technology pathfinders SKA

SKA and industry– Host region considerations

SKA happenings– Brief project update– SKA international Design Study initiative


ISPO

SKA at a glance

Aperture synthesis radio telescope with 1 km2 of effective collecting area by 2020Wide frequency range (25 GHz)Transformational science via new technologies

– Huge survey sensitivity; wide fields– High resolutions in time, frequency &

spatial domains– Addresses most “Quarks to

Cosmos” questionsInnovative designInternational funding: > € 1 billion2 short-listed sites: WA and Southern Africa

Cordes et al, SKA Memo 85

x 10 000


ISPO

SKA: radio meets IT

Is SKA a software telescope? Almost!


ISPO

SKA as e-science

AntennaArray

DSP(“correlator”)

Post-processingHPC

(“imaging”)Tier 0(SKA)

Tier 1(National)

Tier 2(Regional)

Tier 3(Institute)

Europe USA Australia South Africa

Pb/s

0.1 – 1 Tb/s

Gb/s

…………

Tier 4(Researcher)

Proximity of tier-0and tier-1 centres givesspecial innovationpossibilities


ISPO

radio “fish-eye lens”

Inner core: ~1 km dia.

Station

+ stations to3000 km

SKA: pictorially

Highlights Reference Design technologies


ISPO


ISPO

2000

Site short-listing

‘1% SKA’Science

ISSCMoAs

ScienceCase

published

Inter-governmental discussions

including site selection

First SKA WorkingGroup

Initial concept

2000

‘10% SKA’Science

92 96 04 05 06 07 08 09 10 14 18 22

Feasibility study

Full arrayBuild

100% SKA

SKAComplete

Phase 1Build

10% SKA

Conceptexposition

Define SKA System

SKA timeline

Optimise Design

Referencedesign selected

Construct 1% SKA Pathfinders

Radio interferometers can be built in stages(Inbuilt risk mitigation)


ISPO

Reference Design technology

> 3 GHz: wide-band feed

< 0.3 GHz: sparse aperture array

0.3 – 3 GHz:phased arrayfeed

Innovation path: dense aperture array

Low-Band

Mid-BandHigh-Band

Swinburne/CVA visualization


ISPO

SKA development approachAstronomy & engineering iteration to refine specs

– Rapid convergence

International system design effort

Strong emphasis on technology demonstration

– Retire risk as early as possible– Regional pathfinders are crucial

» > €200M investment

Focus on:– Aggressive cost reduction

strategies– Industry engagement

» Paradigm shift to deliver SKA on required timescales

Reference Designtechnologies

1% (pathfinders) 10% (SKA Phase 1) 100% (SKA)


ISPO

SKA challenges – many domains

Technology

Project Management

Wideband, efficient antennasSensitive, low-cost receiversFast, long-distance, data transportHigh performance DSP & computing hardwareNew data processing and visualization techniques

Evolving science goalsHigh levels of technical riskLarge-scale software engineeringInternational politics

– Possible funding phase slipsAmbitious delivery timescaleIndustry liaison

– Pre-competitive alliances + procurement + project delivery

Performance + Cost


ISPO

Science & engineering exposition

New Astronomy Revs, 48, 2004 Experimental Astronomy, 17, 2004

(www.skatelescope.org for details)


ISPO

SKA and industryMega-science:– “Big money, big machines” ; “unusual size & sophistication”– Very large industry role in development, delivery and operation– Complex discussions re siting, knowledge-intensive components

and juste retourSKA has wide industry appeal– Route to project is (mainly) via regional industry initiatives– Companies see a range of returns on various timescales

Substantial ISPO work (SKA Memos 52, 80)– Pre-competitive R&D, procurement, legal/trade framework, ….

Recent “term sheet” with IBM– Exemplar pre-competitive collaboration framework for regional SKA

partners + industry– Addresses downstream procurement “lock out” concerns

See www.skatelescope.org for industry forum presentations, video, memos, …


ISPO

SKA design & construction expenditure (possible)

0

50

100

150

200

2006 2009 2012 2015 2018 2021

pathfinder (R&D only) detailed system designPhase 1 full arrayinfrastructure

MEu

ros

(200

5)


ISPO

Regional industry – host countrySKA infrastructure is a € 200M projectOpportunities in advanced infrastructure (power, communications, …) as well as civil and related constructionLocal knowledge, and “runs on the board” from pathfinder projects will be importantPossible major role for industry in facility operation– Delivery and operations models (and linkages?) for SKA to be

investigated

Frontier technology returns possible via links with international partners– Juste retour is not legally sustainable, but elementary fair play

arguments tend to separate infrastructure and system technology


ISPO

Industry interaction in host country(possible)

€ 200M

University (or similar incubator) can be instigator, promoter and facilitator of collaboration


ISPO

SKA Industry DaysOpen forums to allow information exchange between SKA (international and regional) and interested industry

SKA is visible to industry– Incl. Alcatel, Cisco, HP,

IBM, Philips, ….

Forums held in Australia, Europe, India, South Africa, US– Next Argentina (Mar. 07)

See www.skatelescope.orgfor presentations, video, …


ISPO

SKA happenings - 2006 milestonesReference Design selection

– Key development technologies identifiedSite short-listingMajor progress in pathfinders: KAT, xNTD, SKADS, …..Funding Agencies Working Group formation

– International SKA Forum proposalParis working meeting

– Extensive science-engineering interaction – a.k.a. tough talking!– Identified concept exposition, spec setting processes

First-round infrastructure study completeEuropean 7th framework submission being prepared

– Umbrella for international SKA Design Study– 50:50 EU: institute matching ~ € 20M total– Includes players outside Europe as full participants

» Coordinated via ISPO + regional SKA consortia– De-couples base SKA Phase 1 from wide field-of-view technologies– To be submitted March 31, 2007


ISPOFP7 topics

(“SKA Preparatory Phase”) WP1: Preparatory phase managementWP2: SKA system design– Includes initial verification system

WP3: Continuing site selection processWP4: Governance model (incl. legal entity)WP5: Industry and procurement policyWP6: Funding model (phasing, EIB, …)WP7: SKA impact on existing institutesWP7: Implementation strategy, constr. MoU

Strong ISPO – regional collaboration


ISPOPath ahead - SKA engineering timeline

InitialRef.

Design

06 07 08 09 10 11 12 13 141 2 3 4Quarter 1 2 3 4 1 2 3 4 1 2 3 4 1 2 3 4 1 2 3 4 1 2 3 4 1 2 3 4

Endorsecandidate

technologies

IEAC review

SKADS End

Start P1 dish

const.

Define SKA Program

Set SKA & SKA-P1 init.

specs

ISSC/gov. bodyExternal inputFor information

SKA-P1

PDR

InitialVerif.

System

SKA-P1

CDR

Initialscience

ops

SKA System Design Phase 1 Construction

WFoV

PDR

WFoV

CDR

Start P1

WFoVconst.

WFoVProd. Verif. Units

SKADS, KAT, ATA, xNTDmid-termresults

FinalSKA

specs

TDP endTDP start

xNTD & KAT commis’d

‘Final’ SKA-P1specs

Presentation toUS DecadalSurvey

SKA FP7 Design Study

The SKA –Overview and Update

Documents

Transcript of The SKA –Overview and Update