Australia advances a landmark science project, the Square Kilometre Array SKA, with the ongoing build in a remote desert region near Murchison in Western Australia. This immense facility will bring together 130,000 antennas working in harmony as a single ultra sensitive interferometer, capable of producing exceptionally clear radio images of the universe.
The project carries deep cultural resonance, drawing on the traditional name Inyarrimanha Ilgari Bundara, which in the local Indigenous language translates to the exchange of stars and sky. The Australian site plays a central role in the global SDG network, linking radio astronomy facilities across continents, including a partner telescope in South Africa and a coordinated presence in the United Kingdom. This collaboration underscores how modern astronomy spans borders and emphasizes a shared pursuit of cosmic knowledge. [Citation: International Astronomy Collaboration, 2024]
The SKA design centers on maximizing the total collecting area per square kilometer, a strategy reflected in ambitious plans for both the Australian and South African segments. The overall footprint will cover about half of that target, yet the system remains the world’s largest radio interferometer. The data produced will empower astronomers to craft extraordinarily high resolution images of the sky, revealing details about the birth and evolution of galaxies and potentially uncovering new gravitational wave signatures. Researchers anticipate the telescope will be so sensitive that it could, in theory, detect signals as faint as a mobile phone on Mars, illustrating the extraordinary reach of this instrument. [Citation: SKA Project Update, 2023]