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

S U M M A R Y

South 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 226 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.

around $2.3bn of investment, create thousands of jobs and inspire the next generation of space engineers.

N A T I O N A L S P A C E O V E R V I E W

South Africa’s location in the Southern hemisphere means it is geographically well-placed to support deep space missions. Throughout the 1960s the tracking station at Hartebeesthoek (c.a. 50 km Northwest of Johannesburg) formed an essential part of the NASA Deep Space Network, receiving planet images, including the first surface images of Mars from Mariner 4.228 Although the site fell out of use by NASA in 1975, it was converted to a facility for radioastronomy, a research area in which South Africa has been excelling.229 The French National Space Agency (CNES) tracking station at Hammanskraal outside Pretoria was relocated to Hartebeesthoek in 1980 and the site became the Satellite Applications Centre (SAC).230 The antennae were upgraded to receive 1:50 000 scale images for the first time, capturing highquality images from NASA and CNES satellites.231

Space-based systems are developed to fulfil social and economic needs ”

These developments marked the start to the South African space program, its key objectives aiming to develop Earth observation satellites and a launcher. The South African government built satellite integration and testing facilities at Grabouw, c.a. 70 km west of Cape Town, in addition to a launch site at Arniston on the South coast. The Arniston site was developed until the end of the program in 1994, with the facilities repurposed before any satellites were launched.232 In 1999 imaging Sunsat 1 (Sunsat Oscar 35) was launched, the first satellite to be designed and manufactured in South Africa by researchers at the University of Stellenbosch. The payload was launched aboard the Mission P-91 Delta rocket from Vandenberg in the United States, remaining active in orbit for two years.233 2005 marked the start of a new programs, ZASat, headed by the Department of Science and Technology. The 82kg pathfinder microsatellite bus SumbadilaSat ("Pathfinder" in the local Venda language), was designed, built and tested by the University of Stellenbosch in collaboration with over 40 local companies.234 This was a clear indication of the South African space sector’s ability to support a national space program.235 SumbadilaSat was launched in 2009 from a Soyux-2 launcher in Baikonur, Kazakhstan, operating in orbit until 2011.

The South African National Space Agency (SANSA) was founded in 2010 with the mission to unify the country’s efforts in

228 University of Cape Town (2022) Space in South Africa. http://www.spacelab.uct.ac.za/space-south-africa-0 229 Feldscher (2019). 230 SANSA (2022) Programmes. https://www.sansa.org.za/about-sansa/ 231 SANSA (2022). 232 University of Cape Town (2022). 233 University of Cape Town (2022). 234 ESA (2022) SumbandilaSat. https://directory.eoportal.org/web/eoportal/satellite-missions/s/sumbandilasat 235 University of Cape Town (2022).

space science, technology and research.236 SANSA establishes space cooperation agreements with other space agencies, and coordinates and implements the national space program. 237 At the time of the space program’s design, SANSA consulted government departments to establish what their priorities for a space program were, as these departments were to use the satellite data to inform decision-making.238 South Africa’s space program focuses on three priority areas: i) environmental resource management, ii) health, safety and security, and iii) innovation and economy.239 Space-based systems are developed to fulfil social and economic needs, for instance, the cubesats tracking boats off of South Africa’s shoreline.240 Initiatives such as these have helped catch illegal fishing boats and drug smugglers.241

A number of institutions enable South Africa to position itself as a regional hub for space. Academic institutions such as Stellenbosch University, Cape Town University, and the Cape Peninsula University of Technology (CPUT) offer specialized space engineering and policy courses.242 South Africa is also a leader in space industry on the continent, as the only country with the engineering capability to independently design and manufacture satellites.243 By contrast, most African countries rely on procuring these products and services from abroad. South Africa is also home to the only space weather center in Africa, as well as the largest and most advanced ground segment of a spacebased system, with around 70 different antennas on the ground station.244

Although the Covid-19 pandemic dealt a blow to South Africa’s economy, the country looks to its space sector to boost economic recovery.245 The view held by the government, is that space-related initiatives will create financial opportunities and facilitate social development.246 Economically, the South African space industry shows promise, with an annual turnover of $20 million for organizations involved in space activities.247 There has been significant growth, as this revenue was only $10 million in 2019.248 The South African government is trying to drive this growth, with aims to generate $1.2 billion in

If current investments continue, the African “ continent’s space market is expected to exceed $10 billion in value by 2024 ”

236 SANSA (2022). 237 University of Cape Town (2022). 238 Feldscher (2019). 239 Feldscher (2019). 240 Feldscher (2019). 241 Feldscher (2019). 242 Space Generation Advisory Council (2022) National Points of South Africa. https://spacegeneration.org/regions/africa/southafrica 243 Adetola, Ayooluwa (2021) South Africa to Leverage its Space Industry for Socio-economic Growth. Space in Africa. https://africanews.space/south-africa-to-leverage-its-space-industry-for-socio-economic-growth/ 244 Ibid. 245 Ibid. 246 Ibid. 247 University of Cape Town (2022). 248 Adetola (2021).

the next two years. In total, if current investments continue, the African continent’s space market is expected to exceed $10 billion in value by 2024.249

In January 2022, South Africa launched three satellites as part of the county’s new Maritime Domain Awareness Satellite (MDASat) constellation.250 The Cape Peninsula University of Technology played a lead role in developing the satellites, which were launched from Florida. This nanosatellite constellation marks a significant achievement for the university, South Africa and the entire continent, providing essential vessel tracking data and boosting skills and advanced technology.251 The constellation is designed to detect, monitor and identify foreign boats in South African waters, towards preventing illegal dumping and fishing.252

The Square Kilometer Array (SKA) is another space project that is expected to deliver significant benefits to the country and the wider region. South Africa is hosting the world’s largest radio telescope project.253 The MeerKAT radio telescope in the Northern Cape is one of the most advanced radio telescopes in the world, consisting of 64 connected satellite dishes across the region. Operated by the South African Radio Astronomy Observatory (SARAO), the MeerKAT array forms an essential part of the SKA.254 MeerKAT presents a space sector development opportunity for the wider region, and the team has started training astronomers from other African countries.255 The internationally funded SKA project is expected to attract around $2.3 billion of investment, in addition to creating thousands of jobs.256 Moreover, the SKA project is bound to inspire the next generation of space engineers.

I N T E R N A T IO N A L C O O P E R A T I O N The The United States and South Africa enjoy good relations. Since 2004 the United States has invested over $7.25 billion in assistance in South Africa, contributing to health, education and business development.257 South Africa is also the United States’ largest trading partner on the African continent.258 The two countries have long-standing cooperation on space, since South Africa’s involvement in deep space programs in the 1960s. In 2020, NASA and SANSA signed a deep space communications study agreement to collaborate on technical and environmental research on a potential ground station in South Africa to support future space exploration missions, including the planned Artemis mission.259 Continued

249 Onyango, Conrad (2022) South Africa and Egypt lead the way in Africa’s space race. Quartz Africa. https://qz.com/africa/2120368/south-africa-and-egypt-lead-the-way-in-africas-space-race/ 250 Faleti, Joshua (2022) South Africa to Launch its MDAsat-1 Constellation on Thursday 13 January 2022. Space in Africa. https://africanews.space/south-africa-to-launch-its-mdasat-1-constellation-on-thursday-13-january-2022/ 251 Faleti (2022). 252 Royi, Nyameko (2022) South Africa: Nanosatellite Launch Is a Big Step Forward for African Space Science. AllAfrica. https://allafrica.com/stories/202201240010.html 253 Onyango (2022) 254 Bresnahan, Samantha (2021) These women are shaping the future of African space exploration . CNN. https://www.cnn.com/2021/03/07/africa/south-africa-zimbabwe-women-space-science-spc-intl/index.html 255 Ibid. 256 The Economist (2021) Africa is blasting its way into the space race. 19 June 2021. https://www.economist.com/middle-east-andafrica/2021/06/17/africa-is-blasting-its-way-into-the-space-race 257 US Department of State (2022) US relations with South Africa. https://www.state.gov/u-s-relations-with-south-africa/ 258 US Department of State (2022) US relations with South Africa. https://www.state.gov/u-s-relations-with-south-africa/ 259 Space in Africa (2020) SANSA & NASA Sign A Deep Space Communications Study Agreement. 24 February 2020. https://africanews.space/sansa-nasa-sign-a-deep-space-communications-study-agreement/

space cooperation is beneficial to both countries, allowing the United States the opportunity to join the African space race and become a major partner,260 as well as boosting the South African space economy and enhancing space capabilities.261 US companies offer promising partners, with the potential to use existing launch facilities on the Western Cape.262

The European Space Agency (ESA) and SANSA signed a Memorandum of Understanding in 2020, marking a significant step forward in space cooperation.263 SANSA currently has plans to build a joint computer lab in partnership with ESA, to shorten satellite manufacturing times.264 South Africa uses European Incoherent Scatter (EISCAT) facilities for research on the ionosphere.265 EISCAT consists of high-power radars based in Finland, Norway and Sweden with lowfrequency and Ultra high frequency facilities.266 SANSA and the German space agency also signed an agreement to collaborate on a space debris tracking station as part of the global Small Aperture Robotic Telescope Network (SMARTnet™).267

France is a key European space partner to South Africa, with cooperation between SANSA and the French space agency (CNES) spanning several decades. In 1994, the French South African Institute of Technology (F’SATI) was jointly established in Cape Town and Pretoria to develop closer cooperation in engineering research and development between the two countries.268 Both space agencies signed a formal 2019 agreement to support future space collaboration in the areas of space operations, space science, Earth observation, telecommunications, applications, research and technology.269 In 2016, SANSA was awarded a CNES contract to host one of four antenna systems at the Hartebeesthoek facility, with the possibility of another ten-year extension to the contract.270 The South African ZACUBE-2 was developed at F’SATI at the Cape Peninsula University of Technology, launching in 2018 from the Vostochny Cosmodrome.271 South Africa also cooperates within the region, party to the African Union Space Policy and Strategy of 2016, as well as the African Space Agency, which was established to foster space cooperation across the continent. Nigeria and South Africa, as the two countries with the largest economies and space sectors in the region, make for promising partners on areas such as Earth observation, satellite

260 Devermond, Judd and Temidayo Oniosun (2020) IS THE UNITED STATES LOSING THE AFRICAN SPACE RACE? War on the Rocks. https://warontherocks.com/2020/06/is-the-united-states-losing-the-african-space-race/ 261 Iderawumi, Mustapha (2021) Excerpt from the U.S.-African Space Cooperation Webinar. Space in Africa. https://africanews.space/excerpt-from-the-u-s-african-space-cooperation-webinar/ 262 Iderawumi (2021). 263 Space in Africa (2020) South African National Space Agency Signs MoU with European Space Agency. 17 November 2020. https://africanews.space/south-african-national-space-agency-signs-mou-with-european-space-agency/ 264 Adetola (2021). 265 SANSA (2022c) European Incoherent Scatter (EISCAT) facility. https://www.sansa.org.za/european-incoherent-scatter-eiscatfacility/ 266 SANSA (2022b). 267 SANSA (2022b) Projects & Partnerships. Accessible https://www.sansa.org.za/projects-partnerships/ 268 F’SATI. (2022) About Us. https://www.fsati.org/index.php/en/about 269 UNOOSA (2019) France and South Africa sign founding agreement outlining future projects. https://un-spider.org/news-andevents/news/france-and-south-africa-sign-founding-agreement-outlining-future-projects 270 SANSA (2022d) Projects & Partnerships. https://www.sansa.org.za/projects-partnerships/ 271 F’SATI (2022) ZACube-2. https://blogs.cput.ac.za/fsati/zacube-2/

communication, navigation and positioning, and space science.272

F U T U R E

The African continent’s space sector is set to grow in the coming decades, the combined space market expected to exceed $10 billion by 2024.273 South Africa is the largest player in the region, though there is likely to be continued cooperation and competition with other African space programs, including those of Egypt and Nigeria. Other countries in the region can expect to continue to benefit from South Africa’s research and development initiatives, and the SKA presents a significant space sector development opportunity for the African continent.

South Africa is likely to prioritize relationships with key international partners such as the United States to build up its space capabilities and expertise. Plans at SANSA are underway to develop the next generation of space experts in the fields of engineering, space science and solar physics to ensure that South Africa has adequate human resource to lead future space projects.274 South Africa’s economy has been negatively impacted by the COVID-19 pandemic, which caused millions to lose their jobs and strained national infrastructure and social cohesion.275 As the government aspires to move from a resource-based economy to a varied and knowledge-based economy, it remains to be seen how space funding can be sustained despite projected Gross Domestic Product (GDP) growth slowdown.276

“ Ot he r co un

272 Offiong, Etim (2022) There’s a case for Nigeria and South Africa to cooperate on outer space activities. The Conversation. trihttps://theconversation.com/theres-a-case-for-nigeria-and-south-africa-to-cooperate-on-outer-space-activities-174635 273 Onyango (2022). 274 Iderawumi (2021). 275 OECD (2021) South Africa Economic Snapshot. https://www.oecd.org/economy/south-africa-economic-snapshot/ 276 Ibid. EQUITABLE ACCESS TO SPACEes INTERPLANETARY INITIATIVE

in

Other countries in the region can expect to continue to benefit from South Africa’s research and development initiatives ”