Collaboration with Russia in space science is well established – South African astronomist

South Africa excels at space science, Adrian Tiplady, who holds a PhD in radio astronomy, told RT in an exclusive interview.

Tiplady, the deputy director of the South African Radio Astronomy Observatory (SARAO), stated that his country offers astronomers a reasonably favorable environment, especially in the Karoo region.

This region provides good conditions for the deployment of a centimeter-wavelength radio astronomy facility due to its moderate temperatures, low wind speeds, high altitude, and relatively dry climate, he explained. 

According to the researcher, “it [Karoo region] is very sparsely populated,” as not many people carry mobile phones or use radios or television; otherwise, radio astronomy observations could be disrupted. 

“The Karoo region of South Africa happens to be one of the premier destinations in the world to be constructing next generation radio astronomy facilities,” the deputy director of SARAO said. 

Meanwhile, the collaboration between South Africa and its Russian counterparts in the Space Science Program is “well established,” encompassing scientific and technical domains, Tiplady noted. 

SARAO’s deputy director pointed out that “the Russian Space Science Program has a legacy of global impact on the research… [the] colleagues today are really continuing that legacy.”

SARAO is managed by the National Research Foundation in South Africa; it includes all national radio astronomy telescopes and programs.