China sets its sights on bigger role in development of world’s most powerful telescope

China is keen to play a bigger role in a multinational project to create the world’s largest radio telescope, which it is hoped will provide scientists with a greater understanding of the universe and clues to its origins.

The Square Kilometre Array (SKA) is being developed as a collaborative project involving hundreds of scientists from around the world. Set to be developed in two stages, once completed it will feature about 3,000 massive dishes – located in dual sites in Australia and South Africa – and have a combined collecting area of more than a square kilometre.

China is one of 12 members of the SKA Organisation – which coordinates the project from its headquarters at the Jodrell Bank Observatory in northern England – and is leading the design and construction of many of the components for the South African array.

Speaking at the Forum on China-Africa Cooperation in Beijing this week, Wu Xiangping, China’s lead scientist on the project, said his team was keen to stay at the forefront of the pioneering development.

“Once completed, the SKA telescope will be the largest and most advanced device in astronomy, leading research in the field for the next five decades,” he said.

While the first batch of 15-metre diameter antennas have already been positioned on site in the South African province of Northern Cape, there is much work still to be done.

“China will speed up its cooperation with South Africa over the next few years,” Wu said.