The Square Kilometre Array Observatory (SKAO) is a global effort to build and operate the largest and most sensitive radio telescope on Earth, with eventually over one million square metres of collecting area. SKAO will be able to look back into the furthest reaches of the cosmos to study the first structures in the Universe, as well as probing the nature of gravity and cosmic magnetism and exploring the origins of life itself. The scale of the SKA represents a huge leap forward in both engineering and research & development towards building and delivering a unique instrument, with the detailed design and preparation under way. As one of the largest scientific endeavours in history, the SKA will bring together a wealth of the world’s finest scientists, engineers and policy makers to bring the project to fruition.

The SKA Project is led by the SKA Organisation, a not-for-profit company established in December 2011 to formalise relationships between the international partners and centralise the leadership of this grand endeavour. Whilst 14 member countries are the cornerstone of the SKAO, around 100 organisations across about 20 countries are participating in its design and development. In 2012, the members of the SKAO agreed on a dual site location for the SKA telescope in the deserts of South Africa and Australia, while the site for the Headquarters was established in the UK. The Construction Phase has started in 2021 with early science foreseen in 2025, providing an operational array of telescopes capable of carrying out some of the key science set by the community, before scaling up to the full SKAO by 2030s.