South Africa’s relatively small space programme can still play a significant role in skills development, Professor Sias Mostert of SunSpace and Information Systems in Stellenbosch said on Wednesday.
”A space programme can make a significant impact in meeting national development objectives, also for developing countries,” Mostert told delegates to the Satcom 2007 conference at the Sandton convention centre.
It was a myth that satellite programmes belonged only to the larger nations, he said, explaining that developing countries could accrue benefits from a sustainable space programme.
South Africa was a perfect example of how a space programme could enhance human resource development in technology and provide a wide range of benefits that had a positive impact on the economy.
Two non-negotiable imperatives necessary to drive an emerging space programme were economic benefit and sustained human capital development.
”A space programme must develop a sustainable industry across the various sectors and create new job opportunities in electronics, communications and allied industries,” said Mostert, also a Stellenbosch University professor.
A space programme offered limitless human development opportunities across a wide range of disciplines and from primary school through high school to universities.
”The complexity and extensive technology required to build and operate a satellite programme drives the development of facilities to train local manpower such as engineers, technicians and scientists.”
As South Africa’s first satellite project, SunSat produced a large number of engineers and technical people who today ”drive many electronic enterprises both locally and internationally”, he said.
Small satellites were affordable and particularly suited to remote sensing, and were able to provide strategic economic decision-making information on a global scale and first-hand information on the impacts of global climate change. – Sapa