South Africa is shortlisted to host the Square Kilometre Array (SKA), the most powerful radio telescope ever. South Africa is building an SKA technology pathfinder telescope, the Karoo Array Telescope (known as MeerKAT).

The Karoo Array Telescope (MeerKAT) project achieved a major milestone in April 2010 when the first four telescopes in the MeerKAT Precursor Array (MPA - also known as KAT-7) were linked together as an integrated system to produce the MeerKAT's first interferometric image of an astronomical object.

KAT-7 and MeerKAT

  • Overview
    South Africa is building the Karoo Array Telescope (MeerKAT) which is a precursor instrument for the SKA, but will in its own right be amongst the largest and most powerful telescopes in the world.

  • Specifications and science
    MeerKAT will provide an array in the southern hemisphere that complements the eVLA from L-band to X-band.

  • Site preparation
    The SKA South Africa Project has purchased 14 000 hectares around Losberg farm for the SKA and MeerKAT.


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