Name of the Project
Regional Space Weather Centre.

Location
Hermanus, in the Western Cape, South Africa.

Project Owner/s
South African National Space Agency (Sansa).

Project Description
Sansa is a member of the International Space Environment Service, and its space science facility, in Hermanus, is the regional warning centre for space weather in Africa. This centre, established in 2010 and upgraded in 2018, is a limited-focus research and development centre. It has been focused on space weather impacts on high-frequency communications and was not able to operate on a 24/7basis; however, the new centre will provide a full and 24/7 service.

The state-of-the-art centre will fall under the Sansa Space Science programme, also based in Hermanus, and will be akin to a ‘space park’.

The centre will monitor the weather in space, and solar flares and coronal mass ejections, which can interfere with electronics on satellites, satellite navigation system signals, communications and, in extreme cases, electricity grids on Earth. With the now significant dependence of modern life on satellite-based systems, such interference can have direct, as well as indirect, effects on people’s lives. Consequently, space weather needs to be monitored, and that need is growing.

Potential Job Creation
R15-million will be dedicated to human capital development, including skills development and job creation.

Capital Expenditure
R70.89-million over three financial years, covering establishment costs, operational costs, capital expenditure and human resources.

Planned Start/End Date
The Space Weather Centre is expected to be fully operational from October 1, 2022.

Latest Developments
Sansa has reached an important milestone with its space weather project, after Cabinet approved and welcomed the designation of South Africa as a Regional Space Weather Centre for the International Civil Aviation Organization (ICAO) during its meeting on August 4.

South Africa, through Sansa, has been designated to provide space weather information, in accordance with the adopted standard by ICAO, for all aviation requirements.

The announcement was made in November 2018 and Sansa has been developing its capacity and putting infrastructure in place to ensure readiness to serve the aviation and other sectors.

Sansa has said that it is making steady progress on upgrading its current limited capacity to an operational 24/7 space weather capability to meet ICAO’s deadline of October 2022.

Sansa CEO Dr Val Munsami says the Cabinet memorandum ensures the new Space Weather Centre being built by Sansa, with the support of the Department of Science and Innovation, has the highest level of political backing in the country.

"This underscores the importance of this initiative, nationally, regionally and internationally.”

Cabinet has also granted Sansa permission to collaborate with the Pan-European Consortium for Aviation Space Weather User Service.

This affords South Africa an opportunity to expand its science and engineering technology and innovation focus, and “puts the country on the map” as a global player in space science.

Sansa now intends to host information sessions for various government departments and their entities to highlight the impacts of space weather on their business and the economy, and how Sansa can assist.

Key Contracts, Suppliers and Consultants
Not stated.

Contact Details for Project Information
Sansa communications practitioner Daleen Fouche, tel +27 28285 0203 or email Dfouche@sansa.org.za.