Dr Lee-Anne McKinnell
Managing Director
SANSA Space Science, South Africa
Space Science Research in Africa
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Importance of Space Science Research for Africa
1) Developing human capital with transferable skills;
2) Improved capabilities in space applications and
services;
3) Inspire innovation through Space knowledge and
expertise;
4) Education and the inspiration of the youth;
5) Developing knowledge to address local economic
situations (resource management from space)
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African Countries involved in a Space
Programme
Who is who in Space Race 2 (the new Space race)?
Level 4 – National Space Agency with satellites
Nigeria
Level 3 – National Space Agency with no satellites
Algeria and South Africa
The rest are listed are level 1 or level 0 (no space programme)
This is changing – several countries are moving
towards space programme at some level
Ethiopia, Kenya, Zambia, Uganda, Ghana, Angola
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SOUTH AFRICAN
NATIONAL SPACE
AGENCY (SANSA)
Act of parliament in Dec 2008
Established in 2010
Commenced operations on 1 April 2011
Migrated 2 entities into SANSA
6 strategic programmes
Future plans include African partnerships
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African Space Science Research
Installation of ground based
distributed networks
Training of African students
(developing tomorrows scientists)
Starting Space Science Programmes
Holding International Workshops in
Africa (IHY for eg)
Building a space knowledge economy
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RESEARCH TOPICS
Geomagnetic Research
Ionospheric Research incl Characterisation
Waves and Space Plasmas
Space Weather (Solar, Prediction etc)
Heliophysics
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Global ionospheric modelling using
neural networks
Nigeria – South Africa
South African Ionospheric map (SAIM)
SA-Nigeria-Uganda
I.
Purpose to provide a overall representation of the
ionosphere over South Africa given available data
sources;
II. The map shows spatial and temporal
representations of ionospheric parameters like the
electron density and critical plasma frequencies for
every geographical location on the map.
III. Available data sources considered include SABIM,
IRI, and the South African ionosonde network;
IV. Expansion across Africa is currently being
investigated.
Example of the SAIM output
(Hermanus, -34.26°S, 19.14°E)
HF Doppler
Measurements
TEC Modelling and Ionospheric Scintillation
IMAZ
Ionospheric Model for the Auroral Zone
A neural network approach to empirically model the
lower ionosphere
Objective – to accurately predict electron densities at lower
altitudes in the auroral zone
Data used from EISCAT ISR
Collaboration between South Africa and Austria
African Initiatives
African Resource Management Constellation
South Africa, Kenya, Algeria and Nigeria
4 satellites, one from each country
Bilateral Programmes
Initiating Space Science Programmes in Universities
Student Exchange Programmes
International participation and partnerships
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Examples of Current Projects
PLASMON, FP7 project
South Africa is participant
African students are involved
SA – Kenya Bilateral
Modelling Space Weather Effects
(Mostly using GPS and Scintillation)
SA- Nigeria Collaboration
Modelling the global peak ionospheric electron density
GPS and Scintillation
SA- Zambia Bilateral
Space Weather studies over Africa
African Resource Management Constellation (ARMC)
Nigeria, Algeria, South Africa,
and Kenya
A constellation of 4 satellites
Objective – environmental
and resource management for
Africa
Provides opportunities for
other satellite partnerships
(eg: CubeSATs)
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African Instrumentation – to date
-> Magnetometers
-> GPS Receivers
-> Scintillation GPS
-> Ionosondes
-> VLF Wave Receivers
-> Doppler Radar
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SANSA
OWNED AND
OPERATED
• Ionosondes
• GPS receivers (dual frequency & scintillation)
• VLF receivers
• Doppler Radar
• Magnetometers (variation & pulsation)
• Riometer
• MT Stations
• Radar (Aurora and Mid Latitude)
• Lidar
• Lightning detectors
• Neutron Monitor
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Space Weather
Applicable space science
Can be used as a driver to
excite about science
Regional Warning Centre for
Africa in Hermanus
Expanding network of ground
based data
SPACE WEATHER
OPERATIONS CENTER
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STUDENT TRAINING (HCD)
Postgraduate student supervision
Summer & Winter Schools
Honours projects & Supervision
University courses in Space Physics
Internship & Volunteer programs
National Astrophysics and Space Science Programme (NASSP)
Honours and MSc programme
Funded by South Africa
Involves a number of universities and research institutions
MSc is 18 months – 6 months coursework plus 12 month
research thesis
Students can choose Astrophysics, Astronomy or Space
Science
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Future of Space Science in Africa
Many countries are trying to join the Space Race
National Space Programmes are being developed
Should look at supplimentary programmes (eg: ground based vs
satellite based)
Building skills (transferable skills is the key)
Data Access and Management is a key challenge
Should include Science Advancement using Space as a driver
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Future of AMISR in Africa
Science Questions that make the case
Collaborations
Training
Data Access
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