Kenya will host one of eight satellite dishes that will support the launch of the Square Kilometre Observatory (SKA), which is set to be the world’s largest intergovernmental radio telescope project.
The SKA project is currently under construction in Australia and South Africa and will drive technological development, particularly in the field of information and communications technology. Other systems that process large amounts of data from geographically dispersed sources will benefit from emerging innovations in this field.
The telescope will be 50 times more sensitive and 10,000 times faster than any other telescope on the planet, according to the international consortium that is funding the $2 billion (Sh257.96 billion) project.
In preparation for this global achievement, Kenya has installed a pioneering piece of equipment, the Transiting Array Radio Telescope (TART), which is expected to enhance the country’s role within the community of nations in radio astronomy.
The installation of the TART network makes Kenya the third country in Africa, after South Africa and Mauritius, to host this advanced technology, positioning the country as a major player in space science on the continent.
“The TART network, a low-cost array of radio telescopes, allows researchers and students to study astronomical phenomena in real time, greatly enhancing Africa’s space research capabilities,” the Kenya Space Agency said in a statement.
According to Willis Obonyo, a lecturer in the Department of Astronomy and Space Science at the Technical University of Kenya (TUK) who is familiar with the project, the TART telescope will have limited capability compared to other advanced telescopes such as the MeerKAT telescope in South Africa and the Jansky Very Large Array (JVLA) telescope in the United States.
In a phone interview with Daily businessDr Obonyo said the locally assembled telescope will only be able to monitor man-made satellites passing within Kenyan space and will be used mainly for skills transfer purposes in preparation for the SKA dish setup.
“The TART assembly was funded by the South African Radio Astronomy Observatory (SARAO), a facility of the National Research Foundation, which is responsible for managing all radio astronomy initiatives and facilities in South Africa,” he said.
“The Kenyan project will have many uses across a range of fields; computer scientists can use it to analyse data, mechanical engineers can gain insights through the assembly process, while astronomers will get the opportunity to continue their space research,” he added.
According to the Saudi Press Agency, the launch of the project was the culmination of a week-long workshop that brought together researchers, scientists and engineers from various major universities in the country, including the University of Nairobi, Jomo Kenyatta University of Agriculture and Technology, the University of Nairobi and Kenyatta University.
“The workshop allowed students, astronomers and researchers to understand how the TART telescope works, thus enhancing Kenya’s expertise in radio astronomy,” KSA said.
“Learning from experts from South Africa has provided participants with valuable knowledge that will enhance technical capabilities and encourage scientific discoveries.”
The agency said it prioritized space science and astronomy infrastructure, noting that hosting the TART workshop was an important milestone in its mission to develop space capabilities and facilities that will support research and data analysis as well as future space missions.
These efforts aim to consolidate Kenya’s participation in global space research, and contribute to the growth of the country’s space economy.
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