France is now engaged in the process of applying for membership as a member of the SKAO (Square Kilometer Area Organization). Seven countries have already signed the International Convention which establishes the SKAO as an intergovernmental organization: South Africa, Australia, China, Italy, the Netherlands, Portugal and the United Kingdom.
Lead by C.N.R.S, the French community wishing to contribute to the SKAO has joined together in the “Maison SKA-France” which brings together 7 public establishments (CNRS, Observatoire de Paris, Observatoire de la Côte d'Azur, University of Bordeaux and University of Orleans, INRIA, CEA) and 7 companies (Air Liquide, ATOSBull, Callisto, CNIM, FEDD, Kalray, Thalès). Callisto was one of the initiators of the SKA France in 2017.
With its unparalleled observation capabilities, the SKA Observatory will enable important advances including the study of the appearance of the first light sources in the Universe after the Big Bang, the impact of magnetic fields on the evolutionary processes of celestial objects, tests of theories of gravitation and general relativity or the detection of gravitational waves.
See more information:
Press release from the Ministry of Higher Education, Research and Innovation