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Space and satellites: awareness and observations

19 November 2024 | Story Pat Lamusse | Photo Supplied

Space and satellites 2024 — During the visit to the Naval Hill Planetarium, were from the left, Dr Mart-Mari Duvenhage and Prof Matie Hoffman from the UFS Department of Physics, Consul General Stephanie Bunce and Vanessa Toscano from the US Consulate, and Dinah Mangope from the Department of Physics.

A delegation from the United States (US) Consulate General in Johannesburg, including Consul General Stephanie Bunce and Public Affairs Officer, Vanessa Toscano, visited the Bloemfontein Campus of the University of the Free State (UFS). Consul General Bunce met with the acting Vice-Chancellor and Principal of the UFS, Prof Anthea Rhoda, and the Dean of the Faculty of Natural and Agricultural Sciences, Prof Paul Oberholster. The US delegation also visited the Naval Hill Planetarium.

The UFS recently received a grant from the US Embassy to fund a project to promote science education by highlighting the role of satellites in our lives. Colleagues from the Department of Physics had the opportunity to demonstrate first-hand how the planetarium technology will be used to implement the project, which poses the question – what if something happens in space that interferes with the thousands of satellites we use for communication, weather prediction, navigation, banking … surveillance?

Thanks to this grant, the UFS will explore these questions and contribute to space situational awareness (SSA) and space domain awareness (SDA). SSA involves knowledge about the orbits of spacecraft and space debris. SDA refers to the knowledge and understanding of all activities occurring within the space domain.

There are currently at least 10 000 active satellites in Earth orbit, most of which are in low Earth orbit (LEO). However, in addition to satellites, there are well over 45 000 objects larger than 10 cm in orbit, including more than 35 000 pieces of space debris, such as dead satellites, rocket bodies, and pieces from breakups and collisions. Since 1991, there have been at least six unintentional collisions between active satellites and space debris.

Space turned out to be not as big as once thought, especially not in low Earth orbit (LEO – altitude less than 2 000 km). To make things worse, there are plans to launch up to 100 000 new satellites into LEO over the next decade.

Prof Matie Hoffman from the UFS Department of Physics notes, “We live in an era when the space economy is growing fast and the number of objects in Earth orbit, including satellites and space debris, is increasing rapidly. This poses risks to operational satellites. Recent publicity around Elon Musk’s Starlink satellites has generated additional interest around this topic. It is important to raise awareness of the challenges, which will allow scientists to mitigate them.”

The project will involve expertise in optical satellite observations from the University of Michigan through Prof Patrick Seitzer, international patron of the Friends of Boyden Observatory, and the American Museum of Natural History (AMNH). The grant will fund planetarium upgrades that will enable education on space and satellites, as well as optical satellite observations from Boyden Observatory. Beneficiaries will include learners, higher education institutions (both locally and in the US), and the public. South African project partners will be the South African National Space Agency (SANSA), the Future African Space Explorers’ STEM Academy (FASESA), and satellite-related companies in South Africa.

The Boyden Observatory is ideally situated to provide valuable optical satellite observations in an area of the sky that is not accessible from existing satellite observing facilities, especially for objects in LEO. In fact, the first observation of space debris in geosynchronous orbit was from Boyden Observatory in 1967.

The project will be rolled out from the end of 2024, harnessing facilities at both Boyden Observatory and the Naval Hill Planetarium.

News Archive

UFS professor addresses genetically modified food in South Africa in inaugural lecture

2016-09-23

Description: Chris Viljoen inaugural lecture Tags: Chris Viljoen inaugural lecture

At the inaugural lecture were, from the left front,
Prof Lis Lange, Vice Rector: Academic;
Prof Chris Viljoen; Prof Gert van Zyl,
Dean: Faculty of Health Sciences; back: Prof Marius Coetzee,
Head of Department of Haematology and Cell Biology;
and Dr Lynette van der Merwe, Undergraduate
Programme Director.
Photo: Stephen Collett

The first genetically modified (GM) crops in South Africa were planted in 1998. Eighteen years later, the country is one of the largest producers of GM food in the world. Those in support of genetically modified crops say this process is the only way to feed a rapidly growing world population. But those who criticise GM food describe it as a threat to the environment and safety of the population. Who is right? According to Prof Chris Viljoen of the Department of Haematology and Cell Biology at the University of the Free State, neither position is well-founded.

GM crops play a vital role in food security
While GM crops have an important role to play in increasing food production, the technology is only part of the solution to providing sufficient food for a growing world population. The major genetically modified crops produced in the world include soybean, cotton, maize and canola. However, the authenticity of food labelling and the long-term safety of GM food are issues that consumers are concerned about.

Safety and labelling of GM food important in South Africa
In his inaugural lecture on the subject “Are you really going to eat that?” Prof Viljoen addressed the importance of the safety and labelling of GM food in the country. “In order for food to be sustainable, production needs to be economically and environmentally sustainable. On the other hand, food integrity, including food quality, authenticity and safety need to be ensured,” Prof Viljoen said.

Labelling of food products for genetic modification was mandatory in South Africa, he went on to say. “It allows consumers the right of choice whether to eat genetically modified foods or not.” The Consumer Protection Act of 2008 requires food ingredients containing more than 5% of GM content to be labelled.

GMO Testing Facility world leader in food diagnostic testing
In 1999, Prof Viljoen spearheaded research in developing a GM diagnostic testing platform, and in 2003, a commercial diagnostic platform for GM status certification, called the GMO Testing Facility, was founded. The facility is a licensed Eurofins GeneScan laboratory a world leader in food diagnostic testing and provides diagnostic detection and quantification of genetically modified organisms (GMOs) in grain and processed foods for the local and international market.

Molecular diagnostic technology the future of food integrity, authenticity and safety
With GM labelling now well-established in South Africa, the next challenge is to establish the use of molecular diagnostic technology to ensure that food integrity, including food authenticity and safety is maintained, said Prof Viljoen.

“To the question ‘Are you really going to eat that?’ the answer is ‘yes’, but let’s continue doing research to make sure that what we eat is safe and authentic.”

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