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South Africa Key Points225 Funding: Annual turnover of $20M for organizations involved in space activities. Organizations: • • • •
The South African National Space Agency (SANSA) Satellite Applications Centre (SAC) Cape Peninsula University of Technology (CPUT) French South African Institute of Technology (F’SATI)
Capabilities: • • • •
Maritime Domain Awareness Satellite (MDASat) MeerKAT radio telescope The Square Kilometer Array (SKA) Hartebeesthoek Center
International partners: The United States, ESA, France
SUMMARY
S
outh Africa is a space leader on the African continent, with a sizeable and well-established space sector. The tracking station at Hartebeesthoek in the Southern Cape formed an essential part of the NASA Deep Space Network throughout the 1960s. Today, South Africa is a contributor to a number of international space projects, lending expertise and services on satellite imagery and radio astronomy. South Africa is the only African country with the engineering capability to independently design and manufacture satellites, while most African countries rely on procuring products and
services from abroad. The South African national space program focuses on three priority areas: i) environmental resource management, ii) health, safety and security, and iii) innovation and economy.226 Space-based systems are developed to fulfil social and economic needs. The view held by the government is that space-related initiatives will create financial opportunities and facilitate social development.227 The Square Kilometer Array (SKA) is expected to deliver significant benefits to the country and the wider region. The internationally funded SKA project is expected to attract
225
Map: credit https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:South_Africa_on_the_globe_(Zambia_centered).svg Feldscher, Jacqueline (2019) South Africa leveraging space to solve problems on Earth. Politico. politico.com/news/2019/11/01/south-africa-space-063031 227 Ibid. 226
EQUITABLE ACCESS TO SPACE
INTERPLANETARY INITIATIVE
