Bid for another global initiative

AFTER successfully hosting the Fifa World Cup, South Africa is on the brink of hosting another major global initiative.

Unlike "Phillip" who left us with the headache of what to do with the multi-billion rand stadiums, this initiative is set to propel South Africa and Africato be a major player in the world of scientific and technological research.

Science and Technology Minister Naledi Pandor said the Square Kilometre project would give Africa a "unique opportunity to become a key global player in science and technology".

The project is a mega radio telescope, about 100 times more sensitive than the biggest radio telescope ever built. It will consist of about 4000 satellite dishes spread over about 3000km.

The project was initiated by a world consortium aimed at exploring the origin of the universe. A prime reason for the project is to probe the so-called "dark ages" when the universe was believed to have been in the form of gas, before the stars and galaxies were formed.

In 2003 the consortium invited countries to bid for the project. The bidders included the US, France, Germany and China.

Eventually South Africa and Australia were shortlisted. South Africa made an African bid.

While the main research station will be built in the Northern Cape, 22km from the town of Carnarvon, the rest of the substations will be built in Botswana, Namibia and Ghana. The winner will be announced in 2012.

Some of the conditions the host must meet is that the project must be built in a remote area, far away from radio interference from cellular masts, radio broadcast and air traffic navigation signals.

The irony is that the Northern Cape, which still struggles to get radio and television reception, is a suitable area for the project.

As Pandor explained, what we have is a situation where one of our natural resources - vast open spaces - is set to benefit Africa and position the continent into becoming a key player in science and technological research.

The project will cost ß1,5billion (about R14billion) to build and will cost ß150billion (about R1,4trillion) a year to operate.

Though the host country is expected to make the initial investment, most of the funding will come from the world consortium, says Pandor.

Another condition is that the host country must build a demonstrator satellite.

Australia and South Africa are in the process of building these. South Africa calls its project the Meerkat, and has so far completed seven of the 80 satellite dishes required.

Pandor has pointed out that the completed satellite dishes were built by South African scientists using "a material that makes them withstand the extreme weather conditions in Africa".

Another obvious benefit is how South Africa and other African countries have encouraged their youth to take up studies in the fields of science and mathematics.

As part of this drive, the South African government is giving bursaries for studies in astronomy, astrophysics (the study of space), physics and technology.

So far 261 bursaries have been granted with 40 of the recipients coming from African countries.

Suddenly there is an interest in "a science that was regarded as dead (astronomy)," says Pandor.

The overall effect, says Pandor, has been that the study of science, engineering, physics and mathematics have been strengthened.

This is because, for the project to succeed, South Africa and Africa need astronomers, structural engineers, physicists as well as technological scientists.