Korea's space agency eyes deeper role in $2 bil. global telescope network

The Korea Aerospace Administration (KASA) and the Korea Astronomy and Space Science Institute convened with domestic researchers on Tuesday to explore ways to bolster Korea's increasing engagement in the Square Kilometre Array (SKA), a global initiative aimed at constructing the world's most extensive radio telescope network. The gathering took place at the Chang Yung-sil Hall of the astronomy institute, uniting researchers from the institute alongside scholars from Yonsei University, Ulsan National Institute of Science and Technology, Kyung Hee University, and Chosun University.

These institutions are actively working on low-frequency radio observation technology relevant to the SKA and gearing up for long-wavelength astronomy research ahead of Korea's entry into the project.

Guided by the Square Kilometre Array Observatory (SKAO), an international entity comprising 16 member countries, including the United Kingdom, Germany, and France, the SKA project envisions the construction of radio telescopes in Western Australia and South Africa. These telescopes are projected to boast a collective collecting area of one square kilometer, with an estimated total cost of approximately 3 trillion won, or roughly $2.8 billion.

The telescopes are engineered to detect minute radio signals from space, enabling scientists to unravel the mysteries of the universe.