Jodrell Bank scientists can start working on the most complicated computer system ever built thanks to a £6m windfall.

The renowned observatory, near Macclesfield, is leading international efforts to build the world’s biggest telescope and will crunch huge amounts of data when the project is completed.

Engineers have now been handed a £6m cheque from a major science body to carry out their part in the scheme.

Manchester University bosses, who run the site, hope the key project will bring them a step closer to winning the government’s proposed Alan Turing Centre.

Chancellor George Osborne announced plans to create a UK centre of excellence specialising in ‘big data projects’ named in honour of the Manchester maths pioneer. But British universities must now bid for the £42m centre.

Jodrell Bank has already been named as the global nerve centre for the Square Kilometre Array (SKA) – the world’s biggest radio telescope array.

Artist impression of the Square Kilometre Array
Artist impression of the Square Kilometre Array
 

The telescopes themselves will be built in two locations – the remote deserts of South Africa and Australia – and allow astronomers to see into the furthest corners of the universe.

When operational in 2020, the telescopes will produce 20 times more information than the internet each day.

Scientists, programmers, and engineers in Manchester will design the computer system that will analyse the data to address unanswered questions about the universe.

The Science and Technology Facilities Council has now confirmed £6m funding for Manchester’s involvement in the scheme, which adds to a further £13m pledged by other UK partners.

The overall SKA project will cost £1.bn and involves dozens of countries.

Dr Keith Grainge, heading the Manchester leg of the project, said the amount of data involved was mind-boggling.

He said: “The volume of telescope data to be transported is huge and is likely to be about 20 times the amount of data currently flowing around the worldwide web.

“The technology to handle and process such amounts of information is way beyond what is currently available.

“The announcement provides the funding to meet the tough design challenges.”