Toward a new generation of Cherenkov telescopes with CTA

Gamma-rays provide a powerful insight into the non-thermal uni- verse and a valid probe for new physics beyond the standard model. Despite its relatively recent appearance, very high energy (VHE) gamma-ray astronomy from the ground has proven to have reached a mature technology stage, with fast assem- bling, relatively cheap and reliable telescopes. The scientific outcome is impressive, with more than 140 sources discovered in few years, and several astrophysical sce- narios of particle acceleration and gamma-ray transport already disproved by VHE data. The goal of future installation is to increase the sensitivity by a factor 10 compared to current installations, and enlarge the energy domain from few tens of GeV to several tens of TeV with unprecedented angular and energy resolution and a factor 3 larger field of view. Hereafter, we present design considerations for the Cherenkov Telescope Array (CTA), a project for a new generation of highly automated telescopes for VHE gamma-ray astronomy.