Setting sights on space agency
F YOU enjoy watching science fiction movies and have considered working at a space agency, you should brush up on mathematics and science.
That was the advice the newly-appointed chief executive of the South African National Space Agency (Sansa) Dr Valanathan Munsami gave high school pupils.
Munsami, 48, from Durban, took over the reins from Dr Sandile Malinga.
He has held a number of positions within the Department of Science and Technology, the most recent being the chief science and technology representative.
“Maths and science are critical to what we do. There are currently 214 members of staff, but with further growth still to come.
“The agency largely employs scientists and engineers, mainly aeronautical, systems, electronic and mechanical. We also have technicians and administrators,” said Munsami who has a BSc in physics and mathematics and a BSc honours and PHD in physics.
The father of two, whose hobbies include cooking and playing the guitar and piano, said he was responsible for providing strategic direction for the agency and to act as an interface between management and the agency’s governing board.
He said his aim for the agency is to grow the business and ensure it optimally serves the needs of South Africans.
This will be done by using space science and technology to improve the quality of lives and provide economic opportunities.
“The aim for myself is to ensure personal growth – physically, emotionally and spiritually – and to establish a balance between work and family.”
Munsami, who completed a programme in business leadership and obtained his masters in it, said a huge challenge in the current economic climate was the funding of the agency to fully achieve its mandate.
“We will explore the potential growth opportunities and expand the focus of the agency while ensuring the requisite investments are in place.
“With the government and its many agencies, we will help to build the space industry and therefore increase the absorption capacity of the sector to employ many more scientists, engineers and technicians.”
He said the agency had four key operational programmes that comprise earth observation, whereby the agency takes satellite imagery from a host of satellites and processes them for use across all government departments.
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The information is used to make evidence-based policy decisions relating to their respective mandates.
“South Africa is also building a satellite that will add to the suite of satellite data available from international satellites. The systems engineering and oversight for the satellite is provided by Sansa and the prime contractor is Denel Dynamics, but working in close collaboration with a number of industry players, especially small and medium enterprise.
“This work requires a whole cadre of engineers and technicians working across many engineering disciplines.”
Regarding space operations, Munsami said Sansa has a facility in Hartebeesthoek, Gauteng, which provides telemetry, tracking and control of satellites (TT and C).
“This centre is able to communicate and task the satellites to carry out different functions and download the earth observation data from satellites, which is then provided to specialists to develop services and products for the data.
“Again, there is a strong engineering and technical focus to build, maintain and operate a number of antennas that provide TT and C services both nationally and internationally.”
Munsami said the agency has a facility in Hermanus, which studies the space above the earth’s surface.
“It looks at how the sun’s plasma interacts with the earth’s magnetic field and affects the terrestrial space above the earth, a discipline called space weather.
“Space weather monitoring is important as any activity on the sun that is directed towards earth can affect our technologies. This centre provides essential services to the defence force, the aviation industry and the public.”
The centre employs a range of scientists and engineers.
For more on the agency, see www.sansa.org.za