National Research Foundation Annual Report 2008 / 2009 [Part 2]

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6 NRFimpact report <strong>2008</strong>/09Should a society that has not yet eradicated illiteracy, hunger and informalhousing be investing in space sciences? Yes, says the research. For SouthAfrica, the path to a knowledge society leads through the stars.stargazing radiatesopportunityOne hundred-and-fifty years ago, traders and explorers en route between the Cape and Botswanaestablished a small town in the middle of nowhere. Today, Carnarvon in the Northern Cape is poisedto become the centre of the universe for space studies. The international astronomy community isdeveloping proposals for a major investment, estimated at between €1-2 billion, in a new radio telescopecalled the Square Kilometre Array (SKA). South Africa and Australia have been shortlisted as potentialsites for this telescope, mainly because both countries have sparsely populated desert areas which areradio-quiet zones. In South Africa, that area is near Carnarvon and Williston, an area known up to now forsheep farming and a mountain tortoise reserve.The Northern Cape is one of the least developed areas in the country. Poverty and unemployment arerife and the majority of young people grow up with little or no personal and professional prospects. A verylarge telescope with its associated infrastructure can change this.MeerKAT leads the wayThe SKA will not be the first major space project in the Northern Cape. At the moment, the MeerKATtelescope is under construction on the same site earmarked for SKA. Once operating it will be one of thelargest radio telescopes in the world. MeerKAT will have a major Operations and Science Centre (OSC)that will be located in or near existing science institutes, possibly in or near Cape Town.MeerKAT is a pathfinder and precursor project for the SKA, as well as an important science facility in itsown right. South Africa’s investment in MeerKAT is necessary to demonstrate it has the capability to hostthe SKA, to develop South Africa’s own astronomy community and to attract students and internationalresearchers.The international astronomy community wants to start building the SKA soon after 2012. If the SKA issited in South Africa, its core will be at the present MeerKAT site. Much of its associated infrastructure willeither be on the site or near Carnarvon in the Karoo. The SKA will be built by an international consortium offunders, resulting in significant foreign direct investment for construction work and operating costs.
7In the middle of nowhere something of extraordinary global significance is takingshape: the building of MeerKAT, a precursor project for the SKA. The pedestals forthe KAT-7 antennae (main photograph) are already in place.
Page 2 and 3: NRF impact report 2008/09impact!Spa
Page 6 and 7: 4 NRFimpact report 2008/09A worldwi
Page 11 and 12: 9rural and sparsely populated regio
Page 13: 11While children prepare for the As
Page 17 and 18: 15Associate Professor Robert van Zy
Page 19 and 20: 17Students from both countries are
Page 21 and 22: 19Dr Mario Williams’ research int
Page 23 and 24: 21More energy with less effortThe r
Page 25 and 26: 23The day science becomes real for
Page 27 and 28: 25New life for agricultureMonique M
Page 29 and 30: 27Professor Hongjun Xu (left) of th
Page 33 and 34: 31Mark Mandita, education officer a
Page 35 and 36: 33While the content might be changi
Page 37 and 38: 35Photovoltaic roof tiles are one o
Page 39 and 40: 37The photovoltaic roof tile could
Page 41 and 42: 39There is a wealth of knowledge st
Page 43 and 44: 41A total of 50 postgraduate and po
Page 45: 43RDPROVSASAAOSAASTASADCOSAEONSAIAB

National Research Foundation Annual Report 2008 / 2009 [Part 2]

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