New reflector panel manufacturing facility launched in Kempton
The facility will be used to build reflector panes for the MeerKAT Antenna Positioners for the SKA (SA) project
A new reflector panel manufacturing facility was launched in Spartan, Kempton Park by Stratosat Datacom earlier this month.
Stratosat Datacom, which provides satellite hardware and solutions, together with SKA (SA), an international effort to build the world’s largest radio telescope, the Department of Science and Technology, General Dynamics SATCOM Technologies and various South African suppliers celebrated the inauguration of the new facility.
Stratosat Datacom, which is part of the German Schauenburg international group, in 2012 won the tender distributed by the SKA (SA) project to design, build and install 64, 13.5m Offset Gregorian deep-space telescopes for the MeerKAT Project, a precursor to the Square Kilometre Array (SKA) telescope.
Because the prerequisite of the project was that at least 75% of the panels be manufactured locally, the Stratosat Datacom’s Panel Manufacturing Facility was built in Kempton Park.
This facility will build the highly accurate reflector panels for the MeerKAT Antenna Positioners for the SKA (SA).
The company partnered with recognised global leader in the design and building of advanced radio telescope antennas, General Dynamics SATCOM Technologies, to install the MeerKAT radio telescope antennas.
While the reflector panels for the first two MeerKAT dishes were built in Estonia at General Dynamics’ facility, the panels for the third antenna are currently being manufactured in Kempton. The first two were moved into the country upon completion.
“This is a good example of intellectual property transfer and creation of local job opportunities associated with the MeerKAT project,” expressed Dr Bernie Fanaroff of SKA (SA).
It is Stratosat’s vision that this facility in Kempton will serve as a technology hub for the telecommunications industry to promote the further development of radio astronomy research, by bringing new technology and skills into the country. The longer term intention is to manufacture panels for commercial antennas locally and export them into other African regions.
