South Africa’s National Space Strategy was launched on Thursday by Science and Technology Minister Naledi Pandor. The strategy includes a focus on developing a South African space industrial sector.

This includes the development of the country’s private sector space science and technology companies, the development of an export market for South African satellites and space services, and the development of products and services that can respond to the needs of the users.

Other objectives of the strategy include the grouping of some current South African space science and technology endeavours into strategic programmes and to organise future space activities so that they can react to opportunities from international space agencies and international space industries.

In her speech on Thursday, Pandor affirmed that the first core objective of the strategy is “to capture a share in the global market for small to medium-sized space systems. Our intention is to expand our investment in microsatellites, building on the existing SumbandilaSat programme.”

The third core objective, which also has a commercial aspect, “is to develop applications for the provision of geospatial, telecommunications, timing and positioning products and services”. (The second core objective of the strategy is to improve South African decision making by integrating space- and ground-based systems to provide comprehensive data).

In addition, partnerships are and will be developed with both established and emerging spacefaring countries, in order to develop South African industry and capacity. Technology transfer and training programmes will be strengthened, including the exchange of expertise and experience. Pandor remarked that “human capital development will be a very vigorous part of our strategy”.

Further, the strategy will seek to encourage space science and technology in the country’s universities and research centres, and the provision of both short-term and long-term education and training opportunities.

The strategy will promote the importance of space science and technology as “a priority measure” to achieve national development objectives and increase the awareness of space science and technology, and their benefits, among the South African people.

Another objective is to use South African space capabilities and expertise to meet the challenges and opportunities that exist in Africa. “It is very important we support the development of the entire continent and not just of our own country,” stated Pandor.

Although officially launched on Thursday, the National Space Strategy was actually approved by the Cabinet in 2008.