Development in astronomy and space science in Africa

The Ghanaian engineers were trained by South African experts.

In Nigeria, the Centre for Basic Space Science (CBSS) was created in 2001. A team of engineers and scientists at the CBSS successfully assembled and installed a 3-m radio telescope, in order to better understand the operation and control of such a telescope. CBSS is part of the National Space Research and Development Agency (NASRDA), established in 1998. NASRDA is the main body for implementing Nigeria’s space programme, which includes the development of basic space science and technology, remote sensing, satellite meteorology, communication and information technology, and defence and security¹. Since 2003, Nigeria has had three satellites in orbit including NigComSat-1R, built in China, which was launched in 2011 and boosted Internet and telecommunication services across the country. Currently, the NigeriaSat-2 Earth observation satellite is producing higher resolution images than any other UK-built satellite.

In Burkina Faso, at the Université de Ouagadougou, a project is under development to establish an astronomical observatory for research on Mount Djogari and install the 1-m MarLy optical telescope that was moved from the La Silla Observatory in Chile to Burkina Faso in 2010². Senegal also has plans to develop research astronomy in the near future. The upcoming NASA experiment to observe a stellar occultation by the trans-Neptunian object 2014 MU₆₉ is supported by the Senegalese government and will foster USA–Senegal collaborations in astronomy.

In North Africa, Egypt’s National Research Institute of Astronomy and Geophysics (NRIAG) was established more than 110 years ago and conducts activities under five different departments, including A&SS. NRIAG also established the National Data Center, the Kottamia Center of Scientific Excellence in Astronomy and Space Sciences, and operates the Kottamia Astronomical Observatory (KAO), a solar telescope and a satellite laser-ranging station at Helwan, and Abu Simble and Misallat magnetic observatories. KAO is one of the oldest observatories in Africa, with its 75-inch telescope. The country has plans to build the largest telescope in the Arab region, the ~6-m Egyptian Large Optical Telescope, possibly in northern Sinai (site testing is in progress). Egypt’s National Authority for Remote Sensing and Space Sciences has several different centres and laboratories, which collectively have launched six satellites between 1998 and 2014, and a new remote sensing satellite is on the way. The Space Weather Monitoring Center was established in 2008, aiming to support the Egyptian space programme, and help with space weather prediction. The Egyptian Space Agency is on the way to being established, and has already been voted on in Parliament. This agency would aim to work on the future development of space science and technology, create a satellite-manufacturing centre, launch satellites from Egyptian territory, and serve the country’s strategy in areas of development and national security.

In Algeria, most astronomy research activities are carried out at the Centre de Recherche en Astronomie Astrophysique et Géophysique. Apart from the Bouzaréah Observatory (and an 80-cm telescope), there are plans to build two new observatories: one in the Aurès (northern Algeria), and another near Tamanrasset (southern Sahara). The Observatoire National des Aurès will cooperate with the European Virgo programme to optically follow up gravitational wave detections. Space research is mainly undertaken at the Centre des Techniques Spatiales (CTS) at Arzew. The CTS is in charge of developing the Algerian microsatellite programme (AlSat series), which launched several satellites under the Algerian Space Agency. Two centres for the use and exploitation of satellite data were established and the Institute National de Géodésie et de Télédétection is the main remote sensing centre³.

In Morocco, astronomy has developed significantly over the past few years, especially due to the inauguration of the Oukaïmeden Observatory in 2007. Different projects and collaborations are running, including: a remote 0.5-m telescope for a survey of small Solar System bodies called the Morocco Oukaïmeden Sky Survey (with Switzerland and France), the 0.6-m TRAPPIST-North telescope for detecting transiting planets and planetesimals (with Belgium), the RENOIR experiment for monitoring the ionosphere for space weather (with USA), and the OWL-Net 0.5-m telescope for satellite re-entry and the monitoring of near-Earth objects (with South Korea)⁴. The High Energy Physics and Astrophysics Laboratory also plays an important role in Moroccan astrophysical development. Morocco has just launched a satellite called Mohammed VI-A, part of the space science programme led by the Royal Centre for Remote Sensing. Tunisia does not yet have its own professional infrastructures in astronomy, but has set up a Tunisian Astronomical Society.

In southern Africa, South Africa (SA) continues to be the major player in A&SS. It is the only country in the south with an established national space agency (SANSA), and has launched two satellites. The Department of Science and Technology identified astronomy as one of the key drivers of their international science collaboration agenda, and developed the National Strategy for Multi-wavelength Astronomy in 2015. The first phase of SKA-SA, MeerKAT, involving the construction of the 64-dish radio array, has now been completed (see the Mission Control by Fernando Camilo). The SKA-SA and HartRAO recently merged to become the South African Radio Astronomy Observatory. The SAAO continues operating the South African Large Telescope and some 20 other South African and international telescopes (as well as geophysical and space science instruments). SA is now hosting MeerLICHT (together with the Netherlands and UK), a robotic 0.65-m optical telescope that is synchronized with MeerKAT to scan the southern skies at optical and radio wavelengths simultaneously. The AVN is making progress, and all African SKA member countries (including Namibia, Botswana, Mozambique, Zambia, Mauritius and Madagascar) signed a memorandum of understanding in 2017 to collaborate on radio astronomy. It is planned that in phase 2 of the SKA (expected to begin in 2025), thousands of dishes will be built in SA and African partner countries. Mauritius (in collaboration with India) has operated a radio telescope (MRT) at 151.5 MHz since 1992.

In Namibia, the University of Namibia (UNAM) and the Namibia University of Science and Technology (NUST) are the two institutes most involved in A&SS. UNAM is one of the founding members of HESS, a system of five imaging atmospheric Cherenkov telescopes, and one of the leading gamma-ray observatories in the world (see the Mission Control by Mathieu de Naurois). The Namibian Institute of Space Technology was established under the NUST. There are plans to build the first millimetre-wave radio telescope in Africa in Namibia (together with the Netherlands)⁵.

Botswana has very ambitious plans for the next five years: completion of its AVN node and significant involvement in the SA HIRAX radio astronomy project; the establishment of a National Remote Sensing Centre; and the building of a National Optical Observatory. Zambia is in a process of converting the redundant 30-m Mwembeshi telecommunications Earth station into a radio telescope to form part of the AVN.

Human capacity development

The progress that African countries have made in HCD in recent years, often in collaboration with international institutions, is remarkable. The number of employed researchers in A&SS has increased dramatically. Many countries established graduate programmes at their universities (for example, South Africa, Egypt, Morocco, Ethiopia, Uganda, Namibia, Kenya, Sudan and Nigeria), while many others are in the process of doing so. Public awareness and outreach has increased exponentially in almost all countries. And at the same time networking among African institutions and between African and international institutions improved significantly, contributing to both HCD and research.

The Development in Africa with Radio Astronomy (DARA) and SKA-HCD projects are working on the AVN training programmes in all eight African SKA partner countries, and are contributing strongly to HCD in radio astronomy (see the Comment by Melvin Hoare).

Uppsala University’s International Science Programme (ISP) provides long-term support (up to 20 years or more) and assists low-income countries to build and strengthen their domestic capacity for research and postgraduate education. In East Africa, ISP supports the East African Astronomy Research Network, comprising Muni University (the coordinating office) and Mbarara University of Science and Technology (MUST) in Uganda, the University of Rwanda, and the ESSTI in Ethiopia. MUST and the University of Rwanda (through the Rwanda Astrophysics, Space and Climate Science Research Group) are also supported as individual research groups.

In 2017 a new widely supported initiative named the Africa Initiative for Planetary and Space Sciences was launched, with its main objectives to: (1) connect African planetary and space science (PSS) researchers with their international peers by facilitating cross-border collaborations while overcoming traditional language barriers; (2) build a road map for PSS in Africa by identifying key research areas where scientists can make significant contributions; and (3) contribute to sustainable development in Africa through research, education and public outreach in PSS⁶.

Since 2013, many projects across the continent related to HCD and networking have been supported by the International Astronomical Union’s Office of Astronomy for Development (see the Comment by Vanessa McBride et al.). And from 2000 the South African National Astrophysics and Space Science Programme has trained hundreds of MSc students in A&SS from a variety of African countries. This includes many non-SA students who returned to their home countries and have greatly assisted in the creation of an African network for A&SS.

Continental initiatives

Recently, the AU developed the Common Africa Position on the Post-2015 Development Agenda to define a framework facilitating the achievement of the UN SDGs. The AU recognizes the importance of investing in space sciences and technology, and defines it as one of fundamental factors for achieving sustainable socioeconomic and environmental development of African countries. The AU recently published the African Space Strategy to create a space programme on a continental level, defining key priority areas: social, economic and political affairs and their union toward the total integration. To deliver on these areas, four fields of science were selected to be developed within the continent: Earth observations (to address Africa’s socioeconomic opportunities and challenges), navigation and positioning (for improving safety-of-life applications), satellite communications (for improving information communication technologies for commercial purposes and for the broader public good, especially in rural areas), and space science and astronomy (for stimulating human capital and technological spin-offs). To help achieve these goals, the African Space Agency was recently established.

Improving the future

Africa has amazing potential due to natural (such as large areas with dark night skies) and human resources for scientific research in A&SS. At the same time, the continent is still facing many difficulties, and countries are now recognizing the importance of astronomy, space science and satellite technology for improving some of their main socioeconomic and ecological challenges. As described above, many achievements have already been realized due to incredible efforts, but much still remains to be done. Strengthening the networks between African countries is fundamental for achieving the proposed continental goals. Exchange of knowledge and experience with international institutions and research groups, and the promotion of new collaborations are very much needed at this moment and can be beneficial for all. Only in this way, working together on the development of science and education in Africa, can we fight poverty in the long term and increase our possibilities of attaining the UN SDGs in future.

References

1. Boroffice, R. A. Afr. Skies 12, 40–45 (2008).
2. Carignan, C. Afr. Skies 16, 18–20 (2012).
3. Mimouni, J. in The Role of Astronomy in Society and Culture (IAU Symposium 260) 741–747 (Cambridge Univ. Press, Cambridge, 2011).
4. Benkhaldoun, Z. Nat. Astron. 2, 352–354 (2018).
5. Backes, M. et al. Proc. Sci. https://doi.org/10.22323/1.275.0029(2017).
6. Baratoux, D. et al. Eos https://doi.org/10.1029/2017EO075833(2017).

Acknowledgements

This paper is dedicated to all of the people who somehow contributed to the development of A&SS in Africa. Without them all of this would not be possible. In addition, this paper was inspired by sessions SS23 and LS7 during the 2018 European Week of A&SS (EWASS). Both sessions were supported by the UK Science and Technology Facilities Council, UK Royal Astronomical Society, International Astronomical Union Office of Astronomy for Development, European Astronomical Society, International Science Programme, and Development in Africa with Radio Astronomy project.

Author information

Affiliations

1. Ethiopian Space Science and Technology Institute, Addis Ababa, Ethiopia

   • Mirjana Pović
   • , Solomon Belay Tessema
   • , Alemiye Mamo
   •  & Abdissa Yilma

2. Instituto de Astrofísica de Andalucía (CSIC), Granada, Spain

   • Mirjana Pović

3. Department of Physics, University of Namibia, Windhoek, Namibia

   • Michael Backes

4. Centre for Space Research, North-West University, Potchefstroom, South Africa

   • Michael Backes

5. Technical University of Kenya, Nairobi, Kenya

   • Paul Baki
6. Then too, your body reacts the same way as see description cheap viagra some other device, has a tendency to crumble with time.
   

   French National Research Institute for Sustainable Development, Géosciences Environnement Toulouse, Université de Toulouse, Toulouse, France

   • David Baratoux

7. Oukaïmeden Observatory and the Cadi Ayyad University, Marrakech, Morocco

   • Zouhair Benkhaldoun

8. Botswana International University of Science and Technology, Palapye, Botswana

   • Michael Bode

9. Ghana Space Science and Technology Institute, Accra, Ghana

   • Nana A. Browne Klutse

10. University of Southampton, Southampton, UK

    • Phil Charles

11. Office of Astronomy for Development (IAU), Cape Town, South Africa

    • Kevin Govender
    •  & Vanessa McBride

12. South African Astronomical Observatory, Cape Town, South Africa

    • Kevin Govender
    • , Sivuyile Manxoyi
    •  & Vanessa McBride

13. International Science Programme, Uppsala University, Uppsala, Sweden

    • Ernst van Groningen

14. Mbarara University of Science and Technology, Mbarara, Uganda

    • Edward Jurua

15. East African Regional Office of Astronomy for Development, ESSTI, Addis Ababa, Ethiopia

    • Alemiye Mamo

16. Mentouri University, Constantine-1, LPMPS, Algeria

    • Jamal Mimouni

17. Department of Science and Technology, Pretoria, South Africa

    • Takalani Nemaungani

18. University of Rwanda, Kigali, Rwanda

    • Pheneas Nkundabakura

19. West African Regional Office of Astronomy for Development, NASRDA, Centre for Basic Space Science, Nsukka, Nigeria

    • Bonaventure Okere

20. National Research Institute of Astronomy & Geophysics, Cairo, Egypt

    • Somaya Saad

21. Southern African Regional Office of Astronomy for Development, Copperbelt University, Kitwe, Zambia

    • Prospery C. Simpemba

22. Ethiopian Space Science Society, Addis Ababa, Ethiopia

    • Tefera Walwa

Corresponding author

Correspondence to Mirjana Pović.