Monitoring space weather now a serious business

For Lee-Anne McKinnell, ZS2LAW, acting Managing Director of HMO, the launch of the Space Weather Centre at the Hermanus Magnetic Observatory is a four-year dream come true.

"It started with our application to be internationally recognised as the space weather warning centre for Africa. Although there are space weather scientists in other parts of our continent we are the only space weather warning centre", she told SARL (South African Radio League) News.

Delivering the opening address on 10 December 2010, the Minister of Science and Technology said that the launch of the Space Weather Centre speaks directly to South Africa's space science and technology 'grand challenge'.

"This Centre will contribute essential information for global space science and technology, as well as forecasts and predictions to protect our growing and future satellite industry. More specifically, it will provide a service to the Earth observation, communications, navigation, defense and engineering sectors."

The Space Weather Centre will contribute towards other grand challenges, such as the Energy Security grand challenge, through its potential to develop a skills base and stimulate interest and desire among young people to take part in science and technology.

This project will position our country as a leader in Space Weather for the African continent, allowing for the development of projects that will create parallel initiatives between different African countries, and provide us with a leading focus area for joint collaborations.

"There is already a possible Space Weather satellite collaboration between India, Brazil and South Africa, which will proceed in the context of the IBSA Space Weather satellite", the Minister said.

"We are working closely with African Space weather scientists who will contribute data to us and in return we will provide space weather information which will assist them with their research," Lee-Anne McKinnell said.

"The data that we will produce from their input and what comes out of our centre will help us with global space weather conditions. The other 12 regional warning centres come together to present data covering their area and we are working to do that for Africa".

Source: The South African Radio League

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