ASKAP: Progress towards 36 parabolic reflectors with phased array feeds

On behalf of the ASKAP team, this paper reviews the goals and status of the Australian Square Kilometre Array Pathfinder (ASKAP). ASKAP demonstrates key concepts for the Square Kilometre Array (SKA) radio telescope including: phased array feeds, high performance computing, and a radio quiet site suitable for the most sensitive radio telescope. ASKAP is being deployed to the Murchison Radio-astronomy Observatory in Western Australia. Six antennas have been installed and a further 30 will be installed this year. At the time of writing, February 2011, the first phased array feed has been assembled and integration with downconversion and beamforming systems is about to commence.