The Italian Consul, Sergio Federico Nicolaci, conducted an official visit to the Square Kilometre Array Observatory (SKAO), a world-renowned astronomical research infrastructure located in the western Australian desert, of which Italy is a founding member.
During the visit, Consul Nicolaci met with the observatory’s director, whose founding treaty was signed in Rome in 2019. He reviewed the progress in the installation of the first low-frequency antennas of the SKA-LOW telescope, designed by the Italian National Institute for Astrophysics (INAF) in collaboration with the Italian Institute of Electronics and Information Engineering and Telecommunications (CNR – IEIIT), and produced in Italy by Sirio Antenne, which won the contract for the production of the first 77,000 antennas for the telescope.
“It is a source of pride to see the progress in the realization of this extraordinary scientific project, in which our country is at the forefront,” declared Consul Nicolaci. “Italy’s participation in the development of one of the largest and most advanced radio telescopes in the world, with our financial commitment of 120 million euros over ten years, confirms the importance of investments in research and development and Italy’s enduring leadership in advanced technology. International collaborations in scientific and technological fields are essential not only for advancing knowledge but also for strengthening friendship and understanding between the involved nations.”
The SKA-LOW telescope represents a revolution in radio astronomy. Once completed, it will consist of 131,072 antennas distributed over an area of 74 kilometers, enabling the detection and combination of even the faintest radio signals from the universe in ways never before possible.
Consul Nicolaci’s visit is part of the effort to deepen and promote scientific and technological cooperation between Italy and Australia, driven by the Italian Embassy in Canberra.
