SKADS aims to

1
SKADS Stated Objectives

• SKADS aims to
• Demonstrate SKA Scientific Viability and
  Readiness
• Demonstrate cost-effective Engineering Solutions
  and Technological Readiness
• Deliver a costed SKA Design

• The structure is optimized to continuously
  map the scientific requirements onto the
  technical specifications to produce a common
  design goal.
• The work has clear objectives, milestones and
  deliverables to provide outcomes in measurable
  and verifiable form

2
SKADS Conclusions so far

• Developing world-leading science and technical
  simulations setting the standards for the SKA and
  its pathfinder arrays
• Leading the development of Aperture Arrays and
  electronic beam forming
• new and highly flexible ways of observing the
  radio sky - vital for key SKA science objectives
  including opportunities for new discovery
• lots of practical work with highly promising
  results beginning to feel real
• Constructing three demonstrators (EMBRACE, 2-PAD,
  BEST) to test out different aspects of these
  concepts at this stage there is vitality in
  diversity !
• Working on state-of-theart generic sub-system
  technologies (e.g LNA and ADC) relevant to the
  SKA with promising results.
• Developed a specific implementable vision of the
  SKA (the SKADS Benchmark Scenario) and a
  sophisticated cost model (within the
  international context)

• Many able ( young) scientists and engineers
  attracted into SKADS/SKA family.
• The next generation is not neglected.Marie
  Curie training programme (thanks to AvA)

3
SKADS 2nd half and beyond

• Ready to proceed to the second half of the
  programme
• slowish start as recruitment took place
  but pace has increased in Y2
• Original plan validated - no need to change
  course significantly
• Require a sanity check with Industry
• particularly w.r.t. the network and processing vs
  cost/availability
• Challenge SKADS vs. increasing momentum of FP7
  PREPSKA and SKA Pathfinders
• Need to maintain focus and scope and size of the
  European radio astronomy technology community
• New national resources required to move beyond
  SKADS in 2009
• Possible extensions
• SKA for the user ? flexibility vs ease of
  operation? Exploration of the Unknown
• AA Minimum Capability Demonstrator on a
  representative site with performance goals to
  be decided with SPDO

4
A missed opportunity..
Equivalent cost in 2006 250M i.e. equivalent
to SKA Phase 1 (but only 2 years to build!)
the secret planwhich never came to pass ..the
full Eiffel Array
5

• Europe must not miss an
• opportunity in the SKA !
• The final phase of SKADS
• The final PrepSKA discussions
• The push for national funding post-2009 are vital