SA invests in nanosatellite development for the maritime industry

South Africa’s The Department of Science and Innovation has launched a multimillion-rand investment into the development of nanosatellites. The investment is worth R19m to provide communication services targeting the maritime industry.

The Department of Science and Innovation called for strategic and coordinated surveillance on its coastal waters, particularly shipping movements within the country’s exclusive economic zones. The support of space engineering programmes, infrastructure investments, human capacity developments, and other technological innovations while helping the country’s economic recovery.

This R18.9 million investment revealed that two maritime industry nanosatellites powered by M2MSat technology via VHD Data Exchange System, software-defined radios, and machine-to-machine communication.

Software-defined radios use software for modulation and demodulation in the form of radio signals, performing significant amounts of signal processing via general-purpose computers. DSI investment will be carried out via the Technology Innovation Agency alongside the Cape Peninsula University of Technology, an institution playing a key role when growing space science and SA technology.