Article

Space geodesy takes off at HartRAO

A new, state-of-the-art facility at the Hartebeesthoek Radio Astronomy
Observatory (HartRAO) enables South Africa to measure with pinpoint accuracy the orbits of satellites and the movement of continents. The data will help our understanding of the El Niño effect (when ocean warming can raise sea level by up to 30 cm) and of the motion of the Earth's crust that causes volcanoes and earthquakes.

Minister of Arts, Culture, Science and Technology Dr Ben Ngubane, opened a satellite laser ranging instrument - named MOBLAS-6 at the end of 2000. The addition of MOBLAS-6 makes HartRAO the first station in Africa and in the southern hemisphere that has on one site the world's three most important scientific tools for determining the changing shape and physical dimensions of our Earth. MOBLAS-6 forms part of an international network of measuring stations in different parts of the globe.

There is an international network of measuring stations in different parts of the globe. They take measurements from their unique positions on land and combine results to provide crucial information about things such as the rotation of our planet, and to see whether or not Africa really will start to split apart in times to come, as some scientists suggest.

"With this development, we recognise South Africa's regional responsibility to support those international projects where our unique geographical location and local expertise can enhance research into global problems. We are committed to extend the benefits of this collaboration to the science community throughout Africa," says Ngubane.

"MOBLAS-6 helps us to get rid of the current 'African gap' in the coverage
of satellite laser ranging stations worldwide. Data collected at HartRAO
have such exciting uses - they show, for example, with an error of less than
1 mm per year, that Africa is drifting north-easterly at a rate of 25 mm a
year," remarks NRF President Dr Khotso Mokhele.

The National Aeronautics and Space Administration of the USA developed MOBLAS-6 and sent it to HartRAO, with the Department of Arts, Culture, Science and Technology funding the operation of the instrument.

Article by news@NRF
For more information:
Visit the HartRAO geodesy page on the web: HartRAO

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