The ASKAP and its big data challenge

The Australian Square Kilometre Array Pathfinder (ASKAP) is a new generation low frequency (700-1800 MHz) interferometer capable of observing an instantaneous field of view of 30 square degrees. Such a wide field of view is realized using the Phased Array Feed (PAF) technology that allow forming multiple beams on the sky. The telescope is already in the early science phase with 28 of the 36 antennas routinely available for observations at the time of writing. The hardware has been installed in all antennas and the full array is nearing completion. It is capable of generating about 200 Tb/day of raw data and producing spectral cubes up to 70 Tb in size per observation (if all the data are used; the current plan is to sacrifice the spatial resolution). This fact makes ASKAP an excellent pathfinder and test-bed for the big data challenge which the Square Kilometre Array (SKA) project is facing.