Economic Growth Through Investment into Space Science and Technology: The African Colocation Programme

Abstract

Space infrastructure, both ground-based and space-based, provides a cornerstone to economic development. If one considers sectors such as communications, banking, security, weather services, agricultural monitoring, scientific research or municipal services, it is self-evident that these sectors all rely on seamless information gathering and exchange, via space-based infrastructure. The information provided by space-based infrastructure enables governments to make real time, informed and strategic decisions towards growth, security and risk mitigation. The African Colocation Programme is a programme designed to colocate space science and technology infrastructure alongside the radio telescopes of the AVN programme, within the SKA Africa partner countries. The programme is designed to grow expertise, industry, innovation and academia in the partner countries, creating larger African networks for data, fibre, satellite ground stations and science instrumentation. In other words, the AVN colocation is a proposed central and southern African network of space based industry and science infrastructure. The network will provide augmented solutions to users through collocated sites designed to promote sustainability, industry development, training, and scientific research collaboration. In addition to this is the longer term view of providing African built satellite infrastructure and services.