An international selection committee has already eliminated China and South America, leaving only Australia and Africa – both clear choices for geographic reasons – in the running. To lend credibility to its bid to host the SKA, in 2006 South Africa’s government committed $250 million to build an array of radio dishes within its own borders as a precursor to the SKA.
国际遴选委员会已经排除了中国和南美，只剩下澳大利亚和非洲参与竞争，以上两地皆因地理原因能够确保视野更清晰。为显示修建平方公里天线阵的诚意，南非政府于2006年投资2.5亿美元在境内建造无线天线阵，该天线阵可作为平方公里天线阵的前身。天线阵网络80副天线中的7副已经修建完成。