The Department of Science and Innovation has invested R18.9 million in the development of two nanosatellites which are aimed at increased maritime awareness in South Africa.<\/p>\n
It is the first such initiative for the country to provide communication services to the maritime industry, the department said on Thursday (25 March).<\/p>\n
“The funding was channelled through the Technology Innovation Agency (TIA), an entity of the DSI, to the Cape Peninsula University of Technology (CPUT), an institution that is playing a leading role in growing space science and technology in South Africa.<\/p>\n
“The university has developed cutting-edge nanosatellites and cube satellites (CubeSats) over the years, demonstrating advanced technological capabilities in the country’s space industry,” the department said.<\/p>\n
The two maritime industry nanosatellites will be powered by “M2MSat” technology, in the form of cutting-edge VHD Data Exchange System (VDES) software-defined radios for machine-to-machine (M2M) communication.<\/p>\n
A software-defined radio (SDR) system uses software for the modulation and demodulation of radio signals, performing significant amounts of signal processing in a general-purpose computer. The technology brings flexibility, cost-efficiency and power to drive communications forward, with wide-reaching benefits.<\/p>\n
The SDR technology will provide emerging M2M and Internet of things applications capable of delivering complex analytics and ubiquitous positioning of high-value assets, as well as mission-critical services, at a lower cost than the deployment of traditional satellite systems.<\/p>\n
“The development and commercialisation of the M2MSat platform will position South Africa as a key contributor of innovation in the space sector globally, feeding into the space value chain, growing partnerships with industry, and fast-tracking the creation and exploitation of space knowledge and innovation,” the department said.<\/p>\n
It added that\u00a0plans are underway to develop Denel\u2019s Overberg Test Range (OTR) in the Western Cape as a facility to launch future CubeSats developed by the CPUT.<\/p>\n