2015年4月29日，平方公里陣列射電望遠鏡（Square Kilometre Array,SKA）組織第七屆成員大會通過決議，確定英國曼徹斯特大學Jodrell Bank天文臺作為SKA未來永久總部所在地。

2014年，SKA組織邀請各成員國競選永久總部國，隨后共收到意大利和英國兩份提案。經SKA評估小組評估，兩份提案均滿足了總部國的要求。經過各成員國慎重考慮，在投票后選擇了英國作為SKA的總部國。

會后，SKA組織總干事菲利普高度贊賞了英國和意大利為積極參與SKA所做出的努力和貢獻，并表示總部國的確立對SKA是一個重要的時刻，將為SKA組織發展成為政府間國際組織，以及2018年SKA項目的正式開工鋪平道路。

SKA組織在其官網對此重大決議進行了報道，詳情如下：

World’s Largest Radio Telescope Has A Permanent Home For Its Headquarters

SKA Organisation headquarters, Jodrell Bank, UK - At their meeting yesterday Wednesday 29 April, the Members of the Square Kilometre Array (SKA) Organisation decided that negotiations should start with the UK government to locate the permanent headquarters of the SKA project in the UK, at the University of Manchester’s Jodrell Bank site.

Jodrell Bank houses the headquarters of the multinational SKA project for the current pre-construction phase. These premises will eventually be expanded to support the project as it transitions into the construction phase.

“I am delighted that a permanent home for the SKA headquarters has been identified”, said Professor Philip Diamond, Director General of the SKA Organisation. “Clarity over the location of the headquarters is an important step for SKA, ahead of international negotiations to form an inter-governmental organisation and the beginning of construction in 2018.”

The process for selecting the permanent headquarters began in 2014 when, following an agreed plan, Members were invited to submit bids. Two bids were received, from Italy and the United Kingdom, both of which were judged to be excellent and both suitable for the project’s needs. After thorough consideration, the Members of the SKA Organisation expressed their preference for the United Kingdom’s Jodrell Bank site as the future home for the SKA headquarters, thanks to the strong package offered by the UK government.

The UK plan, backed by the UK government via the Science and Technology Facilities Council, the University of Manchester and Cheshire East Council, as well as Oxford and Cambridge Universities, envisages designing and constructing a unique campus for one of the most inspirational science projects of the 21st Century. The headquarters will be constructed to meet the needs of the SKA project and there is space to grow if the project requires it in the future.

Members thanked the Italian government for submitting such a compelling bid, which demonstrates the very high profile the project has acquired in Italy. The SKA Director General and the SKA Board will work with Italian representatives to ensure that the high visibility and political support for the project in Italy can continue to maximise Italy’s engagement in the project.

“Italy has been a key partner of the SKA since the early stages of the project”, said Professor Diamond. “I am confident they will maintain a high level of engagement on all fronts and I look forward to working with them as well as with all the other partner countries as we move into the next phase of the SKA.”