Two minutes with... Stefania Grazioli, Sirio Antenne Director

Stefania Grazioli heads Sirio Antenne, the Italian family firm manufacturing the first 78,520 of the SKA-Low telescope’s antennas. During a visit to SKAO Global HQ earlier this year for a production readiness review, she spoke to us about her pride at seeing SKA-Low take shape, and preparations to ramp up to full-scale production, scheduled for later this year, when Sirio will be turning out more than 3,000 antennas per month!

Welcome to SKAO HQ, Stefania. Tell us about the latest progress on SKA-Low antenna production.

The production readiness review was a crucial milestone for both Sirio’s manufacturing process and the deployment of SKA-Low. It confirmed that the major challenges had been effectively addressed and that our manufacturing processes were approved, granting the “green light” for full-scale production. While some minor issues remain to be resolved or optimised, this is a significant step forward in ensuring the smooth and efficient production of antennas.

How is involvement in the SKAO benefitting Sirio?

We have had both the honour and challenge of finding the perfect balance between scientific requirements and industrial manufacturing capabilities. The project’s demanding specifications, combined with the required quantities and physical dimensions of the antennas, led us to establish a dedicated production facility equipped with high-productivity automated machinery. The expansion has resulted in new hiring across all levels of our organisation, from production management to operational roles.

Approximately 18 employees will be regularly dedicated to SKA-Low at full operational capacity, and we have trained many more in manufacturing, assembly, and quality control processes to ensure continuous operations. As a result of our involvement with the SKAO, we have recently started receiving further business enquiries.

How do your staff feel to be helping build the world’s largest telescope?

We have actively involved all our staff in this project, even those not directly working on it, because we believe everyone should feel like they are part of this extraordinary achievement. We’ve made it a priority to ensure that everyone at Sirio feels connected to and proud of this fantastic scientific endeavour.

It’s truly fantastic to see a project that began many years ago finally becoming a reality. We are immensely proud to be part of this incredible endeavour, contributing to a groundbreaking initiative that will expand the boundaries of science and technology.