Over five productive days, core developers tackled major challenges in data streaming, high-fidelity telescope simulation, and automated calibration. Here is an in-depth look at the remarkable outcomes and milestones achieved during this sprint.

Kremetart & Panoptikon​

A key focus during the sprint involved advancing front-end visibility and real-time management tools for the telescope. Development efforts progressed significantly on Kremetart & Panoptikon, which can be found at github.com/landmanbester/kremetart. These utilities play a critical role in expanding user and developer interaction with TART data streams and array infrastructure.

Next-Generation TART UDP Data Stream Format Design​

One of the most architecturally profound outcomes of the sprint was the formalization and implementation of the new TART UDP Data Stream Format Design. This redesign completely modernizes the telescope's signal processing architecture with a focus on modularity and high throughput:

• Dual Python/Rust Pipeline Modules: Every single stage of the signal pipeline—including the sender, DSP downconvert, channelizer, correlator, and visibility saver—now features a dual-language implementation. A Python reference implementation is used for easy validation, while a parallel Rust implementation handles high-throughput operations.
• UDP-Based Inter-Module Transport: The new transport mechanism utilizes fixed-size datagrams optimized to fit safely under the Maximum Transmission Unit (MTU) size. By leveraging clearly documented "magic-number" packet formats, developers can seamlessly perform drop-in replacements of individual pipeline modules between languages without interrupting data transmission.
• Tappable Pipeline Stages: The pipeline has been engineered to be fully transparent and non-disruptive. Raw 1-bit data (pre-DSP), post-DSP 2-bit data, and complex visibilities can each be saved directly to disk (using Zarr, Parquet, or raw binary formats) at any stage of the pipeline without breaking or degrading the live data stream.
• Configurable Telescope Parameters: Centralized settings for telescope arrays are now driven entirely by a single pipeline.toml configuration file. This single file seamlessly handles configurable telescope parameters, such as antenna counts ranging from 24 to 32, frequency channels from 1 to 32, and integration times stretching from 1ms to 1000ms. The entire ecosystem is fully containerized, orchestrated, and tested using Docker Compose.

Redeveloped TART Catalogue: A 1,000,000x Speedup​

In one of the most staggering optimization feats of the week, the TART source catalogue server underwent a complete rewrite. The redeveloped TART Catalogue achieves a massive, roughly 1,000,000x speedup compared to its previous iteration.

• New Matching Server: A high-speed matching server handles rapid coordinate lookups for visible satellites, GNSS constellations, and celestial objects.
• Multi-Language Clients: The system comes equipped with dedicated Rust and Python clients to make integrating local SGP4 orbit propagation fast and effortless for all developers.

You can check out the source code and review the REST API capabilities at github.com/tart-telescope/catalogue.

TARTball: High-Fidelity Telescope Simulation​

To lower the barrier to entry for researchers and software developers who may not have immediate physical access to an array, the team introduced TARTball. Drawing inspiration from existing tools like Crystalball, TARTball functions as a robust simulator tailored specifically to the TART architecture. It reads standard sky models and automatically generates realistic Measurement Sets (MS), allowing developers to test imaging pipelines and downstream software offline. Explore the repository at github.com/tart-telescope/tartball.

TART Beam Models Framework Established​

Accurate imaging depends heavily on an explicit understanding of an antenna's directional sensitivity. During the Cape Town sprint, the fundamental framework for TART Beam Models was successfully established. This architecture provides the necessary analytical and structural foundation to incorporate advanced primary beam models into ongoing calibration and imaging cycles. The repository is live and accepting contributions at github.com/tart-telescope/beams.

Automated Position Calibration​

Determining the exact physical coordinates of individual antennas within an interferometric array is essential to prevent phase errors. The team successfully completed the comprehensive technical write-up for TART Position Calibration techniques. Even better, new software was developed to perform this calibration automatically. This automation removes tedious manual workflows and makes deploying a new TART station faster and more precise than ever. The source code and documentation can be reviewed at github.com/tmolteno/tart-position-cal.

Looking Ahead​

The 2026 Cape Town Developer Sprint marks a massive leap forward for open-source radio astronomy. By blending the extreme performance of Rust with the accessibility of Python reference models, slashing catalog lookups by six orders of magnitude, and automating antenna position calibrations, the TART ecosystem is ready for its next generation of global deployments.

A massive thank you to all the developers who dedicated their time, energy, and expertise to making this sprint a monumental success!

Interested in contributing? Whether you want to simulate arrays using TARTball, build lightning-fast pipeline taps, or deploy a telescope at your institution, visit our GitHub organizations and join the community!

Links​

• Map of Worldwide TART installations
• TART website
• TART GitHub

As part of an effort to install TART telescope in all the African SKA Partner nations, this workshop followed installations in Namibia (2025), Ghana (2025), Zambia (2025), Botswana (2025), Mauritius and Kenya (2024). The workshop was presented by Tim Molteno (University of Otago, New Zealand), Oleg Smirnov (Rhodes University, SARAO, South Africa), Landman Bester (SARAO), Max Scheel (Electronics Research Foundation, New Zealand) and Ben Hugo (SARAO, South Africa) with the support of the local installation team led by Prof Solohery Randriamapandry at Universite d'Antananarivo.

The initiative to place TART telescopes in SKA African Partner nations was started in 2023 and is a joint effort of the University of Otago, Rhodes University, the South African Radio Astronomy Observatory (SARAO), the DARA programme and the Electronics Research Foundation. The final deployment in a partner nation will be at the Maputo University, Mozambique in November 2026.

Future TART deployments for 2026 are scheduled in Hat Creek USA and the Liguria Region of Italy. Looking forward to 2027, TART deployments are planned in Ethiopia, Egypt, Malawi, Kenya and Malta and Germany.

First light image from the Madagascar TART, showing bright well-calibrated point sources in the radio sky. This image is created using the `spotless' point-source deconvolution algorithm. Image by Tim Molteno © 2026 licensed under CC BY-SA 4.0

The TART world map now has a new entry. Madagascar! Image from the Map of Worldwide TART installations

Students with components of the TART telescope that they had built. Image Max Scheel © 2026 licensed under CC BY-SA 4.0

Students proudly showing off the completed TART telescope. Image Max Scheel © 2026 licensed under CC BY-SA 4.0

Acknowledgements​

Thanks to the amazing staff and students from Universite d'Antananarivo who organized the workshop, and to EMSS for donating the antenna array support hardware. The TART team would also like to thank the University of Otago for support with staff time and hardware, Rhodes University for supporting travel and staff time. We're also extremely grateful to the DARA project for supporting the travel and accomodation for the New Zealand based TART team (Tim and Max), and to SARAO for supporting staff time and travel.

Links​

• Map of Worldwide TART installations
• TART website
• TART GitHub

Further details will be released as planning progresses.

Links​

• TART world map
• TART website
• TART GitHub

The call is open to African institutions or consortia interested in hosting a TART telescope. Hosts will be selected for funding based on their site readiness, sustainability, expected impact on Human Capacity Development in the country, and availability of co-funding.

Proposal for this call should be submitted as a PDF-format document (3 pages maximum) addressing the following questions:

• Description of host institution, number of faculty and students (potentially) involved in radio astronomy.
• Availability of co-funding for a TART telescope.
• Long-term sustainability of a TART telescope at the host institution: availability of funding and staff for operation, maintenance and scientific exploitation of the telescope
• Proposed telescope site and site readiness.
• Ability and willingness of the host institution to organise an installation workshop. (Please address questions of lecturing venue(s), accommodation options, distance from the telescope site, the number of local students that would be joining, etc.)
• Availability of co-funding for the installation workshop.
• Composition of the local installation team and workshop LOC.
• Ability of the host institution to manufacture the TART array structure locally. This requires access to CNC tools for working with plywood, and basic fabricating skills. Expected impact of a TART installation in the country: number of students and faculty that could benefit from a TART at the host institution(s), proposed development of a scientific programme around the TART, etc.

If you have questions, get in touch with the TART community.

Further proposal details are contained in the PDF of Call Details

• Submit your proposals as a single PDF by e-mail to cfp2026@tart.africa.
• Proposal deadline: 15th April
• Selection announcement: 15 May

Links​

• Full Call details (PDF)
• Slides from AfAS 2026 call announcement
• TART website
• TART GitHub

The workshop was held at the CASSA laboratory at IUB, where participants learned about the design and construction of the TART instrument. The workshop was attended by students from more than 10 local Universities, who were introduced to the TART project and its potential applications in astronomy and astrophysics. Students worked on calibration and imaging from the TART and

The workshop was a huge success, and despite a large earthquake in Dhaka on the last day the workshop, the TART instrument was successfully deployed in Bangladesh. With the final student presentations held the next week on Friday 28 Nov.

Dr. Tim Molteno, Principal Instructor of the workshop, delivering the keynote address during the conference opening. Tim presented an overview of the Transient Array Radio Telescope (TART), its development, design philosophy, and scientific capabilities.

Dr. Khan Asad, Director of the Centre for Astronomy and Space Science and Astrophysics, and Shoaib Mirza of the IUB Fab Lab in front of the truss-tube IUB TART array support structure developed by the FAB Lab.

Acknowledgements​

The TART team would like to thank the Independent University of Bangladesh and Dr Khan Asad the director of the Centre for Astronomy and Space Science and Astrophysics for his amazing work in bringing students from more than 10 local Universities to this conference that introduced the TART project to Bangladesh.

Links​

• Map of Worldwide TART installations
• TART website
• TART GitHub

The initiative to place TART telescopes in SKA African Partner nations was started in 2023 and is a joint effort of the University of Otago, Rhodes University, the South African Radio Astronomy Observatory (SARAO), the DARA programme and the Electronics Research Foundation.

SARAO hosted Tim Molteno, and Oleg Smirnov of the TART team (assisted by Ntsikilelo Charles) who assembled an array in the exhibition hall. Tim and Ntsikilelo even managed a tour of the MeerKAT radio telescope with the press team. The TART telescope was being exhibited at the G20 ministerial meeting as part of an effort to showcase SARAO's africa programme. which has supported the installation of TART telescope in the SKA African Partner Nations (Mauritius, Botswana, Kenya, Zambia, Ghana, Namibia, Madagascar and Mozambique).

TART team members Dr Tim Molteno and Prof Oleg Smirnov, ably assisted by Dr Ntsikilelo Charles of SARAO, in the Assembly shed at the SKA-Mid facility in the Karoo desert of South Africa.

The TART spiral array centre showing the logos of the supporting organizations.

Originally developed by Dr Tim Molteno, and students at the University of Otago's Department of Physics. The TART is a radio-telescope with the capability to observe the entire sky continuously and optimized to detect satellites, near-earth objects and transient events including high-energy cosmic rays. The telescope is also designed to serve as a platform for the development of new imaging algorithms.

Acknowledgements​

The TART team would like to thank the University of Otago for support with staff time and hardware, Rhodes University for supporting travel and staff time. We're also extremely grateful to EMSS Antennas for coordinating the production of the array structure, and to SARAO for hosting the TART team at the G20 meeting.

Links​

• Map of Worldwide TART installations

As part of an effort to install TART telescope in all the African SKA Partner nations, this workshop followed installations in Botswana (2025), Mauritius and Kenya (2024). The workshop was presented by Prof Oleg Smirnov (Rhodes University, SARAO, South Africa), Dr Tim Molteno (University of Otago, New Zealand) and Dr Ben Hugo (SARAO, South Africa) with the support of the local installation team led by Dr Saul Phiri and Dr Prospery Simpema of CbU.

The initiative to place TART telescopes in SKA African Partner nations was started in 2023 and is a joint effort of the University of Otago, Rhodes University, the South African Radio Astronomy Observatory (SARAO), the DARA programme and the Electronics Research Foundation.

TART team members Dr Tim Molteno and Dr Proven Emmanuel, along with students and staff from Copperbelt University, and the completed TART telescope that they built.

Professor Oleg Smirnov with CbU students and staff assembling the TART spiral array at the workshop.

The electronics installed in the Zambian TART were the latest version of the open-source designs produced by the TART project that originated at the University of Otago. This allowed the workshop attendees to spend more time engaging with the practical and theoretical aspects of operating a radio telescope. The lecture schedule included two public lectures which were attended by more than a hundred members of the University community and members of the public. After the lectures, there was a fascinating and wide-ranging question and answer session that covered topics from astrophysics in the kitchen to the detection of ghosts with radio telescopes.

The workshop concluded with an Official Opening Ceremony with a speech from Eng Dr Brilliant Habeenzu, Permanent Secretary for the Zambian Ministry of Technology and Science, presented by Lawrence Mwanza - Copperbelt Permanent Secretary,

Dr Tim Molteno of the University of Otago explaining the operation of the TART telescope to Lawrence Mwanza - Copperbelt Permanent Secretary, during the official opening on June 6th.

Presenters at the Zambia TART workshop. From left to right: Prof Oleg Smirnov (Rhodes), Dr Tim Molteno (University of Otago), Dr Ben Hugo (SARAO) and Dr Proven Emmanuel (Ghana AVN Radio Observatory)

Acknowledgements​

The TART team would like to thank the University of Otago for support with staff time and hardware, Rhodes University for supporting travel and staff time. We're also extremely grateful to the DARA project for supporting the accommodation in Kitwe for the entire TART team, and to SARAO for contributing towards the cost of hardware as well as travel and staff time (Ben Hugo).

Links​

• Live view from the Zambia TART telescope
• https://satelliteprome.com/news/zambia-joins-africas-radio-astronomy-network-with-tart-telescope/
• https://www.ru.ac.za/latestnews/telescopeprojectequipsafricanuniversitieswithpracticalradioastronomytea.html
• https://satelliteprome.com/news/zambia-joins-africas-radio-astronomy-network-with-tart-telescope/

The initiative to place TART telescopes in SKA African Partner nations was started in 2023 at the suggestion of Carla Mitchell-Sharpe, Africa Programme Manager at SARAO. The Botswana workshop was funded by SARAO, the DARA programme, and the Electronics Research Foundation.

This was the first installation of the TART-3 electronics, and the Botswana TART also included a modified spiral array structure built during the workshop by the BIUST team. The workshop consisted of four days of lectures in the mornings and practical sessions building the TART telescope in the afternoons. The TART-3 electronics have simplified the process of installing the electronics and will also allow the workshop attendees to spend more time engaging with the practical and theoretical aspects of operating a radio telescope. The lecture schedule included two public lectures which were attended by more than a hundred members of the university community and local high school students. After the lectures, there was a fascinating and wide-ranging question and answer session that covered topics from astrophysics in the kitchen to the detection of ghosts with radio telescopes.

BIUST students assembling the TART spiral array at the workshop.

BIUST students calibrating the antenna positions on the spiral antenna array.

Dr Tim Molteno of the University of Otago with high-school students touring the completed TART telescope.

Acknowledgements​

The TART team would like to thank the University of Otago for support with staff time and hardware, (Rhodes University) for supporting travel and staff time. We're also extremely grateful to the DARA project for supporting the accomodation in Palapye for the entire TART team, and to SARAO for contributing towards the cost of hardware as well as travel and staff time (Ben Hugo).

"Taking lessons from the first TART "training the trainers" workshop organized by Dr Stanley Kuja at Rhodes university in 2023, as well as lessons from the first TART install during April in Mauritius, this workshop and install went smoothly. The team did an amazing job working around flooding in Dubai, as well as flooding in Mauritius, and the telescope was fully operational and making calibrated images on the last day of the workshop -- they did an epic job"

The new array layout is designed to be fabricated on site, with the antennas located on spiral arms at carefully chosen positions that maximize the imaging performance of the TART.

TART volunteers during assembly of the TART array at the workshop. Image Calvince Juma, licensed under CC BY 4.0‍

As part of the workshop a day was devoted to public talks on the TART project (Tim Molteno, University of Otago), radio astronomy imaging (Prof Oleg Smirnov), and working with TART data by Dr Nadeem Oozeer. The workshop was attended by university students, advanced high-school students and members of the Kenyan research and education community.

The TART kenya install on the roof of the Technical University of Kenya with the Nairobi skyline in the background. Image Mark Ndonga (KSA), licensed under CC BY 4.0‍

Photos​

The fully assembled TART spiral antenna array is located on the roof of an Engineering Laboratory building on the Nairobi campus of the Technical University of Kenya.

IR view of the TART in Kenya. Image Mark Ndonga (KSA) licensed under CC BY 4.0‍

Images​

We were delighted to find that the array was easily calibrated and now produces images. Below is the first light image through the telescope console.

Acknowledgements​

The TART team would like to thank the University of Otago and the Electronics Research Foundation for providing the hardware, the South African Radio Astronomy Observatory (SARAO) for supporting travel and staff time. We're also extremely grateful to the DARA project for supporting the accomodation in Kenya.

"Taking lessons from the first TART "training the trainers" workshop organized by Dr Stanley Kuja at Rhodes university in 2023, the TART install at UdM went pretty smoothly. The team did an amazing job working around flooding in Dubai, as well as flooding in Mauritius, and the telescope was fully operational and making calibrated images on the last day of the workshop -- they did an epic job"

The new array layout is designed to be fabricated on site, with the antennas located on spiral arms at carefully chosen positions that maximize the imaging performance of the TART.

TART volunteers Keshav Sewraj, Max Scheel, Oleg Smirnov, Nadeem Oozeer during assembly of the TART array at the workshop. Image Oleg Smirnov, licensed under CC BY 4.0‍

As part of the workshop a day was devoted to public talks on the TART project (Tim Molteno, University of Otago), the TART telescope (Max Scheel), radio astronomy imaging (Prof Oleg Smirnov), and working with TART data by Dr Nadeem Oozeer. The workshop was attended by university students, advanced high-school students and members of the Mauritian research and education community.

University students, high-school students and members of the Mauritian community listening to public talks given by workshop presenters, licensed under CC BY 4.0‍

Photos​

The fully assembled TART spiral antenna array is located on the roof of an Engineering Laboratory building on the Bel Air Campus of Université des Mascareignes.

Images​

We were delighted to find that the array was easily calibrated and now produces excellent images. Here is an image showing a bright unknown object at about 40 degrees elevation to the North.

This image was made using these instructions.

Acknowledgements​

The TART team would like to thank the University of Otago for providing the hardware, the South African Radio Astronomy Observatory (SARAO) for supporting travel and staff time. We're also extremely grateful to the DARA project for supporting the accomodation in Mauritus.

Members of the TART team were there were myself, Rikus and Ben.

TART volunteers Ben Hugo and Rukus Human along with Takalani, Tim and Oleg during assembly of the TART array at the workshop.

TART installations in SKA African Partner nations​

During the workshop it was learned that the South African Radio Astronomy Observatory (SARAO), who host the SKA project in South Africa, will be funding the installation of a TART telescope in many of the SKA African partner nations. These are:

• Botswana
• Ghana
• Kenya
• Madagascar
• Mauritius
• Mozambique
• Namibia
• Zambia

Delegates from each of these partner nations were present at the workshop, along with astronomers from Italy, Portugal, South Africa and further afield.

Photos​

The TART logo​

We need a logo, and are lucky enough to have a volunteer with a graphics design background to join up! After the logo comes the TART T-shirt. I'd like to make the T-Shirt an annual event.

Team Expansion​

We've had a good deal of expansion. The TART project has three teams

• Rhodes: Ben, Kenda, Rickus*, Stanley, Oleg
• SARAO: Ben, Oleg, Ruby, Nadeem
• Stellenbosch: Rikus, Danie
• New Zealand: Tim, Phill, Max, Pat

Rickus (*) gets honorary membership of the Rhodes team for driving from Stellenbosch to Rhodes to help with the installation.

Team Expansion​

We've had a good deal of expansion. The TART project has three teams

• Rhodes: Sonia, Ben, Rickus*, Stanley, Oleg, Patrice
• SARAO: Ben, Oleg, Ruby, Nadeem
• Stellenbosch: Rikus, Danie
• New Zealand: Tim, Phill, Max

Rickus (*) gets honourary membership of the Rhodes team for driving from Stellenbosch to Rhodes to help with the installation.

TART-3 Updates​

The NZ team has been hard at work on TART-3. Progress is now accelerating as the radio module is now in early testing.

TART-3 Radio Module	Features
	Two radios per module, PCI-e connector, Easy to replace modules

Rhodes TART comissioning​

Gained coverage in the media thanks to excellent organizing by the Rhodes team (Sonia, Rickus (hon), Stanley, Oleg, Patrice). This telescope was a 3-arm interferometer with a new design that allows easy reconfiguration.

The Rhodes student team	Dignitaries

Establishing a new Github home​

We began the process of moving the github repositories to a new home (https://github.com/tart-telescope). This also involves breaking up the huge monolithic TART repository in to smaller and more managable repositories.

Documentation Updates​

• New jupyter notebooks by Ruby (tart notebooks) these notebooks are going to be used in the inaugural TART workshop held at Rhodes.
• A new website based on Docosaurus (here)

Measurement Set updates​

Huge work by Ben Hugo on making the TART measurement set tools tart2ms. These have allowed some fantastic features:

• Rephasing of observations into a single measurement set.
• Incorporation of Catalogue in JSON into the measurement set.
• This allows potentially much more sensitive imaging!

CASA calibration​

Rhodes Calibration with CASA	Cal phase vs time

TART workshops progress​

Three TART workshops are now in various stages of preparation.

• Jan 16-17: Breakthrough listen @ Rhodes (Stanley, Ben, Oleg)
• Mid 2023: Gabon (Patrice)
• Mid 2023: Ghana (Stanley)

TART talks, mentions in media e.t.c​

• Rhodes opening... (see above)
• Sonia: gave a talk to the RATT group
• Patrice: presented to African Astronomical Society (August?)
• Stanley & Tim: Talk in Kenya (8/12/22)