Ramping up to the square kilometre array:: A 1000m2 aperture array prototype

For the first time, ASTRON demonstrated the capabilities of a 4m(2), dense phased array antennas for Radio Astronomy, under the Thousand Element Array project (THEA). Although it proved the principle, due to the limited collecting area of only 4m(2), a definite answer on the viability of the dense phased array principle for the SKA could not be given. Therefore a larger demonstrator has been defined, know as "Electronic Multi-Beam Radio Astronomy Concept"; EMBRACE. EMBRACE will be between 500 1000 square metre phased array antenna in the band of 0.4-1.5 GHz. It will have at least 2 in dependable steerable beams and with this size it can function as radio astronomy instrument comparable to a 25 m diameter dish. Furthermore the collecting area now represents a significant (similar to10%) of an individual SKA "station". This paper will present the astronomical measured results of the Thousand Element Array, as the precursor to the detailed plans for EMBRACE. For the realization of EMBRACE a European SKA Design Study Consortium has been formed and a proposal has been submitted to the European Community, under its Sixth Framework (FP6). Research program.