The road to the Square Kilometre Array

We are entering a golden age for radio astronomy. New and existing facilities operating at submm-to-m wavelengths are shedding new light on the formation of planets, black holes, and even the first galaxies. These telescopes provide the test bed for the technological advancements required to build the next generation of large radio telescopes, like the Square Kilometre Array (SKA). The SKA is a global collaboration that has endeavoured to design and build two radio telescopes, a low frequency array of dipole antennas in Western Australia (SKA1-LOW), and a mid to high-frequency array of dishes in the Karoo of South Africa (SKA1-MID). Construction of these facilities is imminent, with full science operations to begin after 2026. I will present a few of the science cases for building SKA1 and provide an update on some of the SKA pathfinder and precursor telescopes. Finally, I will provide an update on the design work and opportunities for community involvement.