What does it take to look deeper into the universe than ever before? The Square Kilometre Array Observatory (SKAO) — now under construction across two continents — is set to become the world’s largest and most sensitive radio telescope. And at its heart lies something unexpected: precision measurement.

At the BIPM–UNESCO World Metrology Day Symposium, held during the 150th Anniversary of the Metre Convention, Luca Stringhetti, Head of Engineering at the Square Kilometre Array Observatory (SKAO), spoke about how metrology underpins the success of one of the most ambitious astrophysical projects in history.
 

Watch our interview

In this short video, Luca Stringhetti explains how SKAO relies on measurements defined by the BIPM to characterize its instruments and ensure the telescope’s vast arrays can work together in perfect synchronicity. Already, with just 1% of its low-frequency telescope switched on in Australia, SKAO has produced its first image — capturing well-known radio galaxies and offering a glimpse of the transformational discoveries to come.

[2 minutes 30 seconds]

Watch Luca Stringhetti's Scientific Conference Talk

In his full presentation at the BIPM150 Scientific Conference, Luca Stringhetti explored the scale of the SKAO project: one observatory spanning two hemispheres, with arrays of more than 130,000 antennas in Australia and 200 dishes in South Africa, working together as a single instrument.

He described the critical role of metrology in synchronizing signals across thousands of kilometres, achieving timing precision down to nanoseconds, and ensuring traceability to the SI second. These capabilities are the foundation for unlocking new astrophysical insights, from pulsars and black holes to gravitational waves.

[27 minutes]