SKA Observatory opens Call Portuguese software suppliers

The SKA Observatory (SKAO) has issued a Call Portuguese suppliers of software and IT solutions to ensure the implementation of the two largest and most complex radio telescope networks. Applications will be accepted until September 17, and those interested must register by September 10 to attend the information session on the Call, to be held on September 13.

The Call aimed at Portuguese companies, universities, or research centers interested in developing services and infrastructure that will be used as the basis for the software that will ensure the Observatory's operation, namely services for the analysis, design, construction, coding, testing, verification, validation, implementation, launch, maintenance, debugging, and documentation of software and computer systems, among others.

The winners of Call to provide services from December 2021 until the end of the antenna construction and installation process in July 2029. The radio telescope networks will have antennas covering one million square meters of surface area for data collection. The SKAO estimates that the total cost of constructing the two telescopes, starting operations, and associated business capacity-building functions will be €2 billion during the period 2021-2030.

Portugal is one of the seven founding countries of SKAO, whose primary mission is to build the two largest radio telescopes in the world, with sensitivity, angular resolution, and survey speed far superior to current instruments. The two telescopes will be installed in South Africa and Australia, the first consisting of 133 steerable antennas 15 meters in diameter, and the second having 131,072 fixed periodic antennas.

During the pre-construction phase, Portuguese participation was represented by ENGAGE SKA Portugal (Enabling Green E-Science for the Square Kilometre Array), a national radio astronomy research infrastructure supported by the Portuguese National Roadmap for Research Infrastructures (RNIE).

More information about the SKA Call here.

Photograph: ©SKAO