The eXperimental Development Model (XDM) is a 15-m diameter radio telescope antenna of innovative design intended to reduce antenna construction cost per square metre and bring it close to that needed to make Square Kilometre Array (SKA) affordable. IST Holdings were the prime contractors building XDM at Hartebeesthoek.

The Karoo Array Telescope (KAT) will be used to test technology leading up to development of the Square Kilometer Array (SKA). The XDM is a testbed prototype for KAT.

XDM milestones as seen on site at HartRAO:

• 2006 August - Site testing at Hartebeesthoek
• 2006 November - Groundbreaking by Science and Technology Minister Mosibudi Mangena
• 2007 January - Construction of mountings for dish mould
• 2007 February - Assembly and adjustment of mould for making parabolic antenna
• 2007 March - Construction of the parabolic dish on the mould, dish backing structure and support yoke on pedestal
• 2007 April - Attachment of dish to az-el mount yoke and attachment of quadripod feed support legs to dish
• 2007 May - Drive systems installation, receiver mounting installation and receiver testing
• 2007 June - Control systems integration and test receiver construction and calibration
• 2007 July - First light with the 1.5 GHz and 12 GHz receivers
• 2007 August - Optical alignment, software development and testing, and preparation for the multi-feed receiver
• 2007 September - Installation and testing of multi-feed L-band receiver
• 2008 October - Calibration of the multi-feed L-band receiver with microwave absorber
• For other news see www.ska.ac.za.

Key contacts:

• SKA Project Manager: Bernie Fanaroff (bfanaroff@ska.ac.za)
• KAT Project Manager: Anita Loots (aloots@ska.ac.za)
• Bursaries and Grants: Kim de Boer (kdeboer@ska.ac.za)
• Media enquiries: Marina Joubert (marina@southernscience.co.za)
• Contact the SKA office in Rosebank, Johannesburg on (011) 442-2434
• Contact the KAT office in Pinelands, Cape Town on (021) 531-7282
• Find out more about the SKA and KAT at www.ska.ac.za and www.kat.ac.za.