Connecting with the Portuguese for SKA Aperture Array developments

© NL SKA Office

While the Netherlands and Portugal did not play each other during the recent soccer World-championship in Brazil, radio-astronomical relations between the two countries have blossomed since the days of the European SKADS program around 2005.

Beyond Radio Astronomy, an impressive visit was paid some time ago to a huge Solar-Voltaic power plant in Moura (Portugal). Its huge size of 300.000 sqm gave an impression of the size of a future Aperture Array SKA. It made some realize that the use of renewable energies could not only fit the SKA operational power bill, but it could also contribute visibly to a more responsible society.

Against this background of ongoing SKA activities, and initiatives to look into solar power for LOFAR, a small team from IT Portugal visited ASTRON on 7-8th July, to re-establish connections. The group included industrial partners like Martifer-Solar and AST-Portugal/Netherlands. Also present were officials from Drenthe province with responsibility for renewable energies.

This meeting was made even more relevant in view of the Portuguese intention to become an (associate) member of SKA, made possible by the release of national funds. This will strengthen the Portuguese position in the SKA consortia, in particular the ones that are concerned with aperture arrays (LFAA and MFAA).