The SKA Observatory (SKAO) is an international organization dedicated to the construction and operation of the Square Kilometre Array (SKA), a next-generation radio telescope. The Square Kilometre Array (SKA) is an intergovernmental international radio telescope project being built in Australia (low-frequency) and South Africa (mid-frequency). The Square Kilometre Array Observatory (SKAO) is not one telescope, but a network of thousands of radio antennas spread across vast distances in Australia and South Africa. When complete, it will be the largest and most powerful radio telescope on Earth. The combining infrastructure, the Square Kilometre Array Observatory (SKAO), and headquarters, are located at the Jodrell Bank Observatory in the United Kingdom. The SKA cores are being built in the Southern Hemisphere, where the view of the Milky Way galaxy is the best and radio interference is at its least.
The primary scientific objectives of SKAO are:
Cosmology and Dark Energy: Study the large-scale structure of the universe and the nature of dark energy.
Galactic Evolution: Investigate the formation and evolution of galaxies, stars, and planets.
Cosmic Magnetism: Map magnetic fields in space to understand their role in galaxy formation and evolution.
Search for Extraterrestrial Intelligence (SETI): Detect potential signals from extraterrestrial civilizations.
Pulsars and Black Holes: Observe pulsars and black holes to test the theory of general relativity and explore gravitational waves.

India has joined the world’s largest radio telescope project called the Square Kilometre Array Observatory (SKAO). India will be contributing Rs 1,250 crore to this multinational initiative which includes over 16 nations.