Minister Naledi Pandor,
Diplomatic Representatives of Brazil, China & Nigeria
Members of the Parliamentary Portfolio Committee for Science & Technology
Director-General of Science & Technology, Dr Phil Mjwara
Representatives of Government Departments
General Director of the China Center for Earth Resources Satellite Data and Application (CRESDA), Professor Xu Wen and your delegation
Ground Station manager of the Brazilian National Institute for Space Research, Mr Jose Bacellar
Chairpersons and CEOs of Science Councils & other Public Entities
Chairman & members of the South African Council for Space Affairs
Vice Chancellors & University Executives
Distinguished guests
Ladies & Gentlemen
The SANSA Board Chairman, Mr Magugumela, has outlined SANSA’s strategic fit and alignment with the National Space Strategy.
Our goal, as management, is to ensure that the associated goals and objectives of SANSA are realised.
This task is full of challenges, which I am happy to say, are outweighed by SANSA’s potential.
A potential to transform societal problems into solutions
A potential to turn economic challenges into innovation
A potential to convert data into information, knowledge and decision-making instruments
A potential to transform raw talent and intellect into rare intellectual capital.
It is with this potential in mind, that SANSA presents to the nation today, its value proposition and promise of creating
- Societal capital
- Intellectual capital
- Human capital
- Economic capital
- Global capital
Creating and realising such value will be 3 year phased process.
In the current financial year we are busy with the First Phase or “Establishment Phase” whichfocuses on the development and approval of SANSA’s governance structures, policies, processes, procedures and systems.
Throughout this phase we have received great support from the CSIR, the NRF and Houwteq officials and for this we are truly grateful.
I would also like to thank and acknowledge these entities for the many years of investment and dedication in the entities that will be migrating to SANSA. It is through their efforts that SANSA will be inheriting well-founded and successful entities.
The migration of entities into SANSA on 1 April 2011 will signify the 2****nd Phase, or “Foundational Operating Phase” of SANSA**.**
In this phase our focus will be on integrating different operations, the refinement of our structures, policies and plans.
In addition, we will also roll-out some of the programmes as outlined in the National Space Strategy, for instance, Centres of Excellence and of Competence.
This phase will be followed by the “Full Operating Phase” in the 2012/13 financial year.
This will entail the full roll out of the National Space Programme.
As outlined by the Board chairman, SANSA will focus on six themes and I want to touch on the operational aspects of these.
These themes will be undertaken by four SANSA Directorates, namely, SANSA Earth Observations, SANSA Space Operations, SANSA Space Science and SANSA Space Engineering.
For SANSA Earth Observation we will partner with Government Departments, agencies of state, R&D institutions, universities, and private sector partners in offering a wide spectrum of services and products for every day societal benefit and for service delivery.
Our primary operational focus, Minister Pandor, will be to further improve our Earth Observation Data Centre through the automation of our processing; the production of fit-for-purpose and needs-driven data products and services; the management of a comprehensive and cost-effective sensor portfolio that meets national needs in terms spatial resolution, repeat times and spectral bands; and to offer easy access to data.
With the hard work of CSIR Satellite Applications Centre, a new and improved data access catalogue will go live today to coincide with the launch of SANSA and be also accessible through the SANSA website.
The data we collect is a valuable resource for student training.
Every effort will be made to improve data access by universities and R&D institutions for research purposes.
To ensure that SANSA’s Earth Observation activities are at the cutting edge and are always relevant, we will increase our Earth Observation research in remote sensing and in data and image processing.
Such research will largely be in collaboration with R&D institutions including universities.
Minister, our commitment to the country’s initiatives in the Data Democracy framework will continue together with our contribution to global bodies like the GEO and CEOS.
The CBERS agreement we are going to sign today with China and Brazil is indicative of this commitment on our part.
SANSA Space Operations, which is our second theme, will be an important tool in our data acquisition, tracking, telemetry and control activities, together with in-orbit-testing, launch support and satellite mission control.
This is an area that is of immense strategic importance for the country and the region.
With a sparse distribution of ground stations in the Southern Hemisphere, coupled with our good track record, we are a highly sought-after partner to host ground station infrastructure for various missions.
This has huge benefit for the country for several reasons:
- it leverages the country as a strategic global partner in addition to the income we receive from these activities
- it exposes our staff to cutting-edge techniques and state-of-the-art infrastructure
- it gives us access to data at the fraction of the costs of the related satellite missions
For SANSA Space Science, our third theme, we want to cultivate a multi-disciplinary and multi-institutional collaborative approach.
This will require addressing scientific research questions that go beyond the narrow confines of individual researchers; questions whose answers transcend the narrow confines of individual discipline and the boarders of individual institutions
We want to address questions that expose our self-inadequacy and force us to collaborate.
We call upon our scientists from various institutions to rise to the challenge of identifying and answering such questions with us.
The fourth theme is that of SANSA Space Engineering. Together with universities like Stellenbosch University, CPUT, UKZN, TUT, and industry partners we will endeavour to develop South Africa’s indigenous space capability.
The wisdom of embarking in a satellite programme has always been challenged by those argue for perpetual procurement of data from external satellite programmes.
Apart from the technological capacity development inherent in pursuing an indigenous space programme, the overall benefit associated with the independence of controlling one’s own satellite and imaging routines, is immeasurable.
Our space programme is partly about today but, more importantly Minister, about the future.
However, we are mindful of other national pressing needs.
Therefore, we will strike a healthy balance between acquiring data for the nation’s immediate and pressing needs, while at the same time deliberately pursuing a satellite programme for our future needs.
This is a path that does not only think about ourselves, but more about our children, their future and global competitiveness.
It is with this in mind that we are currently planning our contribution to the African Resource Management Constellation of satellites (ARMC) and the IBSA Space Weather Satellite.
Minister this path will be long and will require long-term commitment from government and other stakeholders.
Underpinning all of SANSA’s themes, will be Human Capital Development as well as Science Advancement & Public Engagement.
Space, by its nature, is an ideal tool for human capital development and the stimulation of interest in science amongst our youth.
However, at the same space operations are such that they offer limited second chances, if any. That is, once a satellite is in space there is limited or no repair work possible.
This therefore requires that we attract and retain the best staff and students.
This calls on us to offer very competitive salaries, bursaries and scholarships to attract and retain the best.
Our student training programmes will have both a local and international component. The latter is important if we are to be globally competitive in space science and technology. Hence international partnerships will be crucial in all we do.
Lastly, we will focus on Science Advancement amongst the youth and the general public. Such an effort has to be pursued in collaboration with institutions like SAASTA.
Minister Pandor I want to conclude by emphasizing our commitment to collaborate with others in our primary objective to use space science and technology to benefit humanity.
Thank you.
