Swiss industrial innovation is, once again, featuring in the design and construction of the SKA with HUBER & SUHNER to deliver Coax connector and cable solutions to SKA-Low.
The UK subsidiary of Herisau based HUBER & SUHNER has been awarded a multi-year sub-contract by antenna manufacturer, Sirio Antenne, to supply electronic components for the SKA Observatory’s low-frequency radio telescope, or SKA-Low, in Western Australia.
HUBER & SUHNER develops leading-edge technologies that transfer power and data safely and reliably – the hidden yet critical solutions that industry, communication, transportation and now, next-generation radio astronomy, depend on.
The company will be providing more than 150,000 assemblies that include globally recognized and high-quality SPUMA 195 cables and X-QMA connectors for each assembly alongside specially designed SMB connectors.
These components will enable critical Radio Frequency (RF) links connecting the antennas to the smart boxes installed on Wajarri Yamaji country in the Murchison region, a remote site in the Australian outback.
Formed through deep expertise in satellite and space component manufacturing and engineering, HUBER & SUHNER components are built for harsh environments, are designed or improved to be hard-wearing or shock-resistant and are cost-effective solutions that will enable the objectives of SKAO to be fully realized.
The components will deliver precise signal transmissions through a complex signal chain of processing, revealing the sky’s faintest details, further expanding and revolutionizing our understanding of the universe.
“HUBER+SUHNER has been designing and manufacturing microwave, photonic and antenna technologies, and enabling outstanding data transmission for the global space industry for decades. We recognize how this project has the potential to unlock frontiers in science and deepen our understanding of the universe. We’re incredibly proud to be working with the SKAO and Sirio, contributing to collecting this body of knowledge,” said Reto Bolt, Chief Operating Officer, Industry Segment at HUBER+SUHNER.
This contract builds on earlier Swiss industrial work for the SKAO, including:
- Contributions by Cosylab, a leading provider of control systems for some of the world’s most complex projects including the particle accelerator at CERN in Geneva, to the SKA telescopes’ Observatory Management Control software
- The delivery of state-of-the-art-atomic clocks, called hydrogen MASERS, made by the Neuchatel division of Safran Electronics & Defense, formally the Neuchatel Observatory to both the South Africa and Australia sites
- And, the production of 2000 fine machined mechanical parts required to build the 133 SKA Mid Band horn antennas, designed to pick up radio waves from space.
“This contract shows that Switzerland’s participation in the biggest physics project of the 21st century continues to deliver business for Swiss industry and that science continues to give back to society,” concluded Carolyn Crichton, Director of the SKACH Consortium.