$2.4b SKA will be shared - but with South Africa awarded juiciest part of megascience project

UPDATE May 26: The prospect of 500 high tech jobs just evaporated.

Early this morning came news that hosting rights for the $2.4 billion Square Kilometre Array (SKA) project will be split, as rumoured, between rival South African-led and Australian-led bids - but with a cruel twist for New Zealand.

The SKA - a giant radiotelescope project - will be used to probe deep space. By bouncing radio signals off the atmosphere, it will also track more earthly concerns such as climate change and tectonic shifts that could help predict earthquakes.

NBR understands that local protagonists in the SKA drama feared a split would see high frequency receptors allocated to South Africa, and the low frequency part of the project awarded to the Anzac bid.

That is what has happened overnight.

The lower-frequency element of the SKA can be accommodated by a modest array of antennas, possibly confined to Western Australia [UPDATE: SKA Organisation spokeswoman Jo Bowler told NBR ONLINE: "The low frequency antennas will be built in Australia but the details about exact locations and whether there will also be antennas in New Zealand has yet to be clarified."]

There will be no need for an Australasian-wide array of thousands of dishes in locations stretching from Western Australia to the North Island and South Island, creating one giant virtual radio telescope.

The project has also been split into two phases. The first part of the project will see some dishes added in Australia but "the majority" will be built in South Africa. 

"In phase 2 dishes will be built in South Africa only," Ms Bowler said.

Had the SKA gone solely to the Australian bid, backed by New Zealand (and a pledge to kick in around $55 million), the MED saw around 500 high-tech jobs being created on this side of the Tasman, and the NZ economy boosted to the tune of around $180 million.

Both sides had pilot projects in place - "MeerKAT" in southern Africa and "ASKAP" in Western Australia - backed by a new dish in Warkworth north of Auckland run by AUT (currently being used to track the SpaceX mission under a newly struck 10-year commercial deal).

SKA hosting rights were decided by representatives from five SKA Organisation countries:

• Canada
• China:
• Italy
• The Netherlands
• The United Kingdom

NBR understands that Canada and China backed the Anazac bid, while the three EU countries favoured the South Africa-led consortium.

Those in favour of the South African-led bid pointed to the region's relative radio science, and its well-organised MeerKAT pilot project.

Those against criticised its poor infrastructure and the political instability of several of the countries involved.

There were perhaps also more pragmatic factors involved. NBR understands the EU countries favoured southern Africa because it was closer, and because they could exercise more control over the project (see the SKA Organisation's official thinking here).

$2.4b megascience project could be shared by Australia-NZ and South Africa

UPDATE April 13: The respected science journal Nature has gone public with a rumour that's been doing the rounds of Auckland and Wellington over the past couple of months - that the $2.4 billion SKA project will be split between Australia-New Zealand and the rival South Africa-led consortium. 

Stay of SKA execution: decision delayed on $2.4b megascience project

UPDATE March 22: There were two good pieces of news for the Australia-New Zealand SKA bid today.

First, the SKA Organisation said its April 3 meeting  "is not likely that this meeting will make a final decision on the site; rather it will be the start of a process of discussion and negotiation between the members."

Second, the panel of voting countries has been expanded to include Canada. 

The other members are China (thought to support the Anzac bid) and the UK, Netherlands and Italy (said to lean toward the South Africa-led bid).

The Square Kilometre Array (SKA) is a $2.4 billion megascience project involving up to 3000 radio telescopes.While the same 20 counties will chip in the same amount regardless of where the SKA's 3000 dishes are finally located, the project holds the promise of creating 500 high tech jobs (by an MED estimate). New Zealand will chip in up to $55 million.

RAW DATA: Statement from SKA Organisation secretary Colin Greenwood

South Africa recommended for $2.4b megascience project, Anzac bid on back foot

UPDATE March 11: According to papers leaked to The Sydney Morning Herald, South Africa has been given the nod as the recommended site for the Square Kilometre Array (SKA), a $2.4 billion radio telescope project.

A scientific panel made a confidential recommendation on February 18, based on technical merit.

The process is not yet over. Countries participating in the SKA are due to meet on April 4, at which time they may make a final vote on the South African-led consortium vs an Australia-New Zealand bid.

The Australasian side will be pushing what backers say is the region's superior political stability and business environment; South Africa the cost-effectiveness of a proposal that would, reportedly, incorporate decommissioned telecoms satellite stations around the continent.

Hundreds of high-tech jobs at stake
While the same 20 counties will chip in the same amount regardless of where the SKA's 3000 dishes are finally located, the project holds the promise of creating 500 high tech jobs (by an MED estimate).

UK, China, the Netherlands and Italy to decide who gets the SKA project.

NBR understands that the EU countries prefer South Africa, for its relative geographic proximity, while it was possible China would back the Anzac bid.

Diplomatic lobbying is underway ahead of the April 4 meeting, which could yield a final decision.

Economic development and science and innovation minister Steven Joyce, who met with the EU Science Commissioner on March 9, told NBR that New Zealand would follow Australia's lead.

UPDATE Feb 18: A recommendation has been made on the location for a $2.4 billion megascience project, for which an Australia-New Zealand joint bid is squared against a South Africa-led group.

The board of directors of the SKA (Square Kilometre Array) Organisation said today it had received an evaluation report and a site selection recommendation drawn up by the independent SKA Site Advisory Committee (SSAC).

The next stage in the process will see member countries in the SKA consortium meet in late March or early April to weigh the recommendation. This meeting could lead to a final vote "if a consensus is reached". If agreement isn't reached, further negotiations are possible before a final decision is made "in due course."

NBR understands from a senior government source that today's recommendation is made on a technical basis.

Being named the best technical bid will give either Australasia or South Africa the edge, but there will still be much diplomatic jockeying ahead of the late March/early April meeting.

Australia, New Zealand and South Africa will not vote, leaving the UK, China, the Netherlands and Italy to decide who gets the SKA project.

NBR understands that Steven Joyce - as minister in charge of the MED - has been made privy to the decision. Mr Joyce earlier told NBR that New Zealand's diplomatic response would be guided by Australia, which has led the joint bid.

UK-based SKA Organisation spokesman Colin Greenwood told NBR that "The US was a member of the SKA Science and Engineering Committee, which oversaw the SKA project until the governance structure changed on 1 January 2012. The US is no longer involved in the governance or funding of the project."

Up to 5000 satellite dishes could be erected under the giant radio-telescope project, wiith up to 80 of them in New Zealand - where so far the action has been led by on-the-ground trials by AUT University with its new dish at the Warkworth Satellite Station.

The winning bidder stands to land hundreds of high-tech jobs (500+ in the MED's estimation), but whichever consortium lands the SKA, costs will be spread over all participating countries. And access to the SKA will be awarded on the basis of which projects have the most scientific importance, with the host countries gaining no special priority.

The MED has said New Zealand's share of the bill will be in the region of $NZ27-55 million. If it proceeds on schedule, the SKA would go live in 2019.

As well as allowing scientists to better understand deep space, the SKA could be used to make precise geo-physical measurements - potentially providing researchers with a better ability to predict earthquakes.

Key, Gillard to 'promote vigorously' $2.4b megascience project bid

Feb 1: As part of their joint statement following the annual Australia-New Zealand Leaders’ meeting in Melbourne, John Key and Julia Gillard have pledged their support for the combined Australasian bid for a $2.4 billion megascience project.

"In the run up to the site selection decision, the prime ministers agreed to continue to promote vigorously the merits of the joint Australia-New Zealand bid to host the Square Kilometre Array (SKA)," the pair's statement said.

"The SKA will be the most powerful radio telescope ever built and will revolutionise our understanding of the universe."

A giant virtual telescope created by 3000 radio dishes (around 40 of them on this side of the Tasman), the SKA would be the largest project of its type.

A rival hosting bid has been launched by a South Africa-led consortium.

The telescope is expected to cost about €1.5 billion ($NZ2.4 billion) but the Ministry of Economic Development, industry leaders and astronomers around the country say the economic and intellectual benefits of co-hosting the project would far exceed the $NZ27-55 million bill (our share of a budget that would be spread among participating countries around the globe), with former co-chairman of the New Zealand array industry consortium saying in May last year that the economic benefits of the project could be a return of more than $NZ180 million.

A decision on whether South Africa or Australia or New Zealand will host the SKA is expected shortly.

In the lead-up to the bid, AUT University installed a $2 million dish at the Warkworth Satellite Station north of Auckland as a proof-of-concept.