Following the successful building and testing of a prototype dish at the Hartebeesthoek Radio Astronomy Observatory near Johannesburg, the MeerKAT team is now working on KAT-7, a seven-dish prototype interferometer array in the Karoo. The construction and commissioning of the full MeerKAT array (consisting of 80 dishes) will follow at the same site.

MeerKAT - SA's SKA Precursor

• 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.
• Request for proposals
  An open invitation to the astronomical community to propose key project science with the South African Square Kilometre Array Precursor - MeerKAT.
  Closing date: 15 March 2010