Swiss government wants full membership of SKA project

Government requests funding from parliament for participation in Square Kilometre Array Observatory up to 2030

Switzerland’s government has said it wants the country to become a full member of the Square Kilometre Array Observatory—an international collaboration to build the world’s most sensitive radio telescope—until at least 2030.

Switzerland has held observer status for the SKAO predecessor organisation since 2016, with many Swiss research institutions contributing to the development of the project. In September 2020, the Swiss parliament approved CHF 8.9 million (€8.14m) for Switzerland to join the SKAO to 2024, but on 4 June the government said it would ask the parliament to approve an additional CHF 24.7m to fund full participation to 2030.