[SatNews] A satellite that brings together nations and their people for a positive goal…
The 4th December 2012 marked the official unveiling of the KSAT antenna, a symbol of increasing cooperation between South Africa and Norway, in the Space industry.
The KSAT unveiling with Rolf Skatteboe, KSAT President; HE Ambassador Kari Maren Bjørnsgaard, Norwegian Embassy & Dr Sandile Malinga, SANSA CEO
Kongsberg Satellite Services AS (KSAT) is a commercial Norwegian company that initiated talks with the then CSIR Satellite Applications Centre, now a directorate of the South African National Space Agency (SANSA); in November 2009 to host an antenna in support of Earth observation data. “The unique positioning of SANSA’s Space Operations ground station makes it an ideal location to position an antenna for optimum data downloading,” explained Rolf Skatteboe, KSAT President. “This, together with the SANSA’s world-class facilities made it an easy choice for us.”
The project commenced in February 2011 and became fully operational in June 2011. “Since early 2012, more than 1000 earth observation images have been downloaded via the antenna, with an excellent pass rate of 99.2 percent,” adds Tiaan Strydom, International Business Manager at SANSA Space Operations and KSAT Project Manager.
The event was marked with an overview of the project followed by the breaking of a champagne bottle against the antenna by HE Ambassador Kari Maren Bjørnsgaard from the Norwegian Embassy.
SANSA aims to leverage the benefits of space science and technology for socio-economic development, environmental conservation and natural resource management.
The consolidation of South Africa’s primary space entities under one banner has brought together a significant range of competencies in satellite applications, satellite engineering and research in space science and technology to play an important role in the country’s future space initiatives. The space agency is also committed to delivering quality services to the international space sector and growing its Earth observation data management capability.
The SANSA Space Operations directorate, formerly the CSIR Satellite Applications Centre (SAC), is a key component in the implementation of South Africa’s National Space Strategy. Located at Hartebeesthoek in South Africa’s Magaliesberg mountain range on the outskirts of the Cradle of Humankind World Heritage site, SANSA Space Operations provide tracking, telemetry and command (TT&C) services for geosynchronous and polar-orbiting spacecraft to the manufacturers, operators and users of satellites and launch vehicles, as well as for satellite data acquisition.
South Africa’s Magaliesberg mountain range on the outskirts of the Cradle of Humankind World Heritage site
South Africa’s Magaliesberg mountain range on the outskirts of the Cradle of Humankind World Heritage site
SANSA Space Operations is also involved in satellite navigation through ESESA (www.esesa.org), a European Union Framework Programme 7 project. The project was completed in 2011 after investigating the requirements for extending the EGNOS system to Southern Africa, primarily for use in the aviation sector but also in other sectors. SANSA is helping to develop the technical requirements for the EGNOS extension to South Africa.
The vast range of satellite navigation applications, such as in mining and agriculture, environmental and disaster management, surveys mapping, Earth sciences and transportation and education, will be explored specifically for the benefit of the Southern African Development Community (SADC).
