SKA Headquarters: Another Two-Stage Site Selection Tussle

The International SKA Project Office (ISPO) was established in 2003 and hosted by ASTRON at its headquarters in Dwingeloo, The Netherlands, the home institute of the SKA Director at that time. As the global component of the project began to expand and substantial funding for coordination of this expansion (through PrepSKA and other initiatives) came into view in 2006–7, the International SKA Steering Committee (ISSC) held a competition in 2007 for the location of the central office. This led to the ISPO, which was renamed the SKA Program Development Office (SPDO), moving to the University of Manchester, initially for the period 2008 to 2011. Another competition was held in 2011 as the prospect of establishing a legal entity to manage the Pre-Construction Phase starting in 2012 emerged. Manchester was selected again. In this chapter we describe these two, at times contentious, selection rounds and the issues involved.