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South Africa To Establish Space Agency
Pretoria, South Africa (SPX) Jan 21, 2009 President Kgalema Motlanthe has signed the South African National Space Agency Bill into law, which could see South Africa setting up its own space agency later this year to pull together all space-related activities in the country under one banner. The agency will promote the peaceful use of outer space; foster research in astronomy, earth observation, communications, navigation and space physics; foster international cooperation in space-related activities; and advance scientific, engineering and technological competencies through human capital development and outreach programmes. Published in the Government Gazette the National Space Agency Act provides for the establishment of a national space agency to implement a space programme for South Africa. The agency must facilitate the development of space missions, develop technology platforms, and acquire, assimilate and disseminate space satellite data for any organ of state. It will also implement the National Space Strategy which was approved by cabinet in December 2008, to stimulate the capability to place SA among the leading nations in the innovative utilisation of space science and technology. The strategy is derived from the Department of Science and Technology's Ten-Year Innovation Plan, which includes space science and technology as one of the five "grand challenges". The agency is also expected to bring together the work of several institutions and harness their capacities to leverage billions of rands to boost the economy and create more jobs. Some of the projects it will coordinate include the Square Kilometre Array bid, the Southern African Large Telescope, and the launch of SA's second indigenous satellite, Sumbandilasat. South Africa has a rich heritage of involvement in modern astronomy, which dates back to 1685, when the first temporary observatory was established in the Cape. Sapa Share This Article With Planet Earth
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China's First Multi-Functional Experiment System For Space Tribology
Beijing, China (XNA) Dec 19, 2008A multi-functional experiment system for space tribology, developed by the Chinese Academy of Sciences (CAS) Lanzhou Institute of Chemical Physics (LICP), has passed its acceptance check. |
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