Botswana Expands African Radio Astronomy Network with New TART Telescope
Botswana has become the latest African country to install the Transient Array Radio Telescope (TART), further strengthening Africa’s capabilities in radio astronomy. This follows the successful installation of the telescope in Kenya, Mauritius, and South Africa, which complements a broader initiative to develop TART telescopes in the Square Kilometre Array (SKA) partner countries. The installation took place during a workshop held at the Botswana International University of Science and Technology (BIUST) from 17–21 March 2025.
The workshop also focused on capacity building, with talks on radio astronomy and TART data processing delivered throughout the week by team members, including Dr Molteno, Dr Hugo and Professor Smirnov. The topics included the TART project overview, technical aspects of the TART telescope, radio astronomy imaging, and working with TART data. The workshop participants included BIUST university postgraduate students, teaching assistants, and staff from the Physics and Astronomy, Computer Science and Telecommunications Engineering Departments. This initiative is funded by the South African Radio Astronomy Observatory (SARAO) and led by Mrs Carla Sharpe-Mitchell, with support from the Development in Africa with Radio Astronomy (DARA) programme, the University of Otago and the Electronics Research Foundation(ERF).
The TART Installation
The installation was spearheaded by Rhodes University’s Distinguished Professor Oleg Smirnov, Dr Benjamin Hugo from the SARAO and Rhodes University, and Dr Tim Molteno from the University of Otago and the Electronics Research Foundation (ERF) in New Zealand. Additionally, a team led by Dr Fahmi Mokupuki from BIUST and its students participated in installing the telescope at the BIUST campus in Palapye in March 2025.
A newly designed array layout, featuring antennas arranged on spiral arms, was designed for on-site fabrication and to optimise imaging performance. The successful installation reflects the careful planning and collaboration between international and local experts. By Thursday afternoon, 20 March 2025, the team had fully assembled and activated the telescope, even carrying out a meticulous measuring-tape campaign to precisely establish the effective antenna positions.
“We’re learning something with each new installation, so things become easier and easier. The new-generation TART-3 electronics developed by Dr Molteno have streamlined everything; the system is practically plug-and-play now,” says Professor Smirnov.
The recent deployment in Botswana represents a further advancement in enhancing Africa’s capacity in radio astronomy, underpinned by the commitment of the TART team and its partners. Furthermore, as the initiative progresses, it continues to create meaningful opportunities for research and training across the continent, reinforcing Africa’s role within the global radio astronomy landscape and inspiring the next generation of scientists.