South Africa Advances National Communication Satellite Strategy to Bridge Digital Divide

An artistic rendering of satellites in multiple orbits. Source: ESA The Departments of Communications and Digital Technologies (DCDT) and Science, Technology, and Innovation (DSTI), alongside state entities Sentech and the South African National Space Agency (SANSA), have provided an update on South Africa’s National Communication Satellite Strategy (SatCom). The ambitious project seeks to…

South Africa Launches NEOFrontiers Fund to Drive Innovation in Earth Observation

Source: Humbulani Mudau The South African National Space Agency (SANSA), in partnership with the Department of Science, Technology, and Innovation (DSTI) and supported by the National Research Foundation (NRF) and TuksNovation, has unveiled the New Earth Observation Frontiers Small, Medium, and Micro Enterprises Innovation Support Fund Programme, known as the NEOFrontiers Fund. This…

Building South Africa’s Space Launch Capabilities

ASRI’s commercial-sounding rocket gantry at the Overberg Test Range. Source: Aerospace Systems Research Institute (ASRI). The University of KwaZulu-Natal’s Aerospace Systems Research Institute (ASRI) spearheads efforts to establish South Africa’s space launch capabilities. ASRI’s recent paper outlines that the goal is to provide Africa with sovereign access to space, a critical need in a…

ASRI in South Africa Unveils New Suborbital Sounding Rocket Launch Facility

The launch gantry at the new rocket launch facility in the Overberg Test Range (OTR). Source: Aerospace Systems Research Institute (ASRI) In a significant milestone for South Africa's space industry, Aerospace Systems Research Institute (ASRI) engineers have commissioned a cutting-edge suborbital sounding rocket launch facility at the Denel Overberg Test Range (OTR) in the Western Cape. Funded…

South Africa to Launch its National Astro-Tourism Strategy

Part of the 64-dish MeerKAT Radio Telescope Array. Source: SARAO The South Africa Department of Tourism, in collaboration with the Department of Science and Innovation (DSI), will launch the country’s astro-tourism strategy at this year’s National Tourism Day celebration, which will take place on September 27, 2024. The launch will happen in the Northern Cape province, where MeerKAT, a…

South Africa Gears Up for the Second National Space Conference: A Focus on Sustainability

Heads of national space agencies and other delegates on a tour of South Africa's space infrastructure. Source: SANSA The second National Space Conference (NSC) will be held at the CSIR International Convention Centre in Pretoria, South Africa, from 28 to 30 August 2024. Organised by the National Earth Observations and Space Secretariat (NEOSS) and the South African National Space Agency…

South Africa Hosts Africa’s First IAU General Assembly

Cross-section of delegates at the IAU GA opening ceremony. Source: IAU General Assembly 2024 The International Astronomical Union is an international non-governmental organisation mandated to promote, safeguard and advance all aspects of astronomy. For the first time in over 100 years of the IAU’s existence, the IAU General Assembly, which happens every three years, finally happened on the…

SKAO Achieves Major Milestone with First SKA-Mid Dish Construction in South Africa

Source: Key Highlight SKAO has successfully assembled the SKA-Mid dish in South Africa. The Square Kilometre Array Observatory (SKAO) has celebrated a major construction milestone with the successful assembly of the first SKA-Mid dish in South Africa. A team comprising members from the SKAO, the South African Radio Astronomy Observatory (SARAO), and China's CETC54 executed the "big lift,"…

Yahsat and the Department of Communications and Digital Technologies, South Africa, Signs MoU to Support Satellite Communication Operations

sKey Highlights Yahsat and the Department of Communications and Digital Technologies of the Republic of South Africa signs an MoU to support mutual satellite communications activities. The agreement will support Yahsat’s expansion into South Africa. Yahsat has signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) with the Department of Communications and Digital Technologies, South Africa, to…

Avanti Communications Partners with Q-KON to Launch LEO services in South Africa

According to the press release by Avanti Communications, the global multi-orbit satellite technology provider, the organisation has announced the launch of Low-Earth Orbit (LEO) satellite connectivity services in South Africa. Avanti partnered with Q-KON, a leading satellite engineering enterprise for southern Africa, to deliver seamless LEO connectivity from Eutelsat OneWeb. The new deal will…