Epilogue and Outlook

In this chapter we provide an outlook for the future of data-intensive radio astronomy, and further discuss ways to protect our environment. Radio astronomy is experiencing a radical transformation. The vast datasets generated by current and upcoming surveys are posing new challenges, in terms of calibration, data processing, transfer, and storage, requiring new approaches in automation and in the minimisation of data irreversibility. As we open up new areas of parameter space in our exploration of the radio universe, and as we find hardware and software solutions to our new technical challenges, we are also becoming increasingly aware of the considerable environmental cost associated with our infrastructures, computing, energy usage, and travelling. Finding ways to estimate and minimise the carbon footprint of radio astronomy has become a crucial and urgent priority for our community. As we explore the Universe and look to understand its past, we must not lose sight of the future, if we want to preserve both radio astronomy and our planet for future generations.