Large Instrument Development for Radio Astronomy

TL;DR

This paper discusses the challenges and considerations in developing large radio astronomy instruments, emphasizing the importance of specialized design, avoiding shared resources, and maintaining dedicated R&D to manage complexity and costs.

Contribution

It provides a comprehensive analysis of the planning, development, and technological challenges in large radio astronomy instrument projects, advocating for specialized instruments and sustained R&D.

Findings

Complexity increases costs and development time.

Shared resources often underperform and are counterproductive.

Long-term R&D is essential for technological progress.

Abstract

This white paper offers cautionary observations about the planning and development of new, large radio astronomy instruments. Complexity is a strong cost driver so every effort should be made to assign differing science requirements to different instruments and probably different sites. The appeal of shared resources is generally not realized in practice and can often be counterproductive. Instrument optimization is much more difficult with longer lists of requirements, and the development process is longer and less efficient. More complex instruments are necessarily further behind the technology state of the art because of longer development times. Including technology R&D in the construction phase of projects is a growing trend that leads to higher risks, cost overruns, schedule delays, and project de-scoping. There are no technology breakthroughs just over the horizon that will suddenly bring down the cost of collecting area. Advances come largely through careful attention to detail in the adoption of new technology provided by industry and the commercial market. Radio astronomy instrumentation has a very bright future, but a vigorous long-term R&D program not tied directly to specific projects needs to be restored, fostered, and preserved.