Astronomy Geographic Advantage Bill

Briefing to the Select Committee on Education and Recreation: 17 October 2007

Dr Phil MjwaraDirector GeneralDepartment of Science and TechnologyRepublic of South Africa

Outline

• Multi-wavelength Astronomy

• Purpose of the AGA Bill

• The process to date

• Example of Astronomy Advantage Areas

• AGA Bill impact on broadcasting and telecommunications

• Continuing stakeholders consultations

Multi-Wavelength Research

• Southern African Large Telescope – Northern Cape, RSA• High Energy Stereoscopic System – Namibia• Karoo Array Telescope/SKA – Northern Cape, RSA

SKASALTHESS

The Electromagnetic spectrum

Increasing Energy or Frequency

AGA Bill: The Purpose

• Protect Astronomy investments already made in South Africa

• Maintain an environment for a global astronomy hub that will continue to attract international investments

• Create a competitive edge for South Africa to win the bid to host the SKA

• Attract Astronomy investments which may include C-BASS (C-Band All-Sky Survey) and DSN (Deep Space Network) Array

• AGA Bill presented to Cabinet in Nov 2005 and approved for a public consultation process

• Consultations started in early 2006 with stakeholders

• Amendments to the AGA Bill presented to Cabinet in Nov 2006 and approved for tabling to Parliament

• Presentation of the AGA Bill to the S&T Portfolio Committee

• Public hearings

AGA Bill: The Process

• Further amendments presented to the S&T Portfolio Committee

• Adoption of the AGA Bill by the S&T Portfolio Committee

• Presentation of the AGA Bill by S&T Minister to the National Assembly

• Approval of the AGA Bill by the National Assembly and Bill referred to the NCOP

AGA Bill: The Process

Astronomy Advantage Areas

CORDINATED ADVANTAGE AREAS

• Regulate the area(s) as buffer zones for the protection of Central and core advantage areas

CENTRAL ADVANTAGE AREAS

• To protect the core from immediate surroundings negative interference on astronomy devices

CORE ADVANTAGE AREAS

• Where an astronomy device is located or may be situated in future

SKA sites

SKA Astronomy Advantage Areas

• Co-ordination zone Established to prevent high powered broadcast transmitters from negatively impacting the core zone

● FM not affected in all areas

● Single channel analogue television transmissions with high power and from high sites

i. Effectively replaced with multi-channel low power municipal relay transmitters

ii. Will be migrated to digital technology (low power local transmissions)

iii. All broadcasting services are available from satellite (already digital)

● Point-to-point and point-to-multipoint telecommunication stations for public and private communication systems

i. Re-engineering can be done to reduce interference in the direction of the radio astronomy instrument

Broadcasting & TelecomsImpact

Stakeholdersinvolvement

• Regulations Advisory Committee

• Stakeholder Forum: Astronomy Legislation and Regulations

Thank You