SumbandilaSat controversy detracts from local achievements
by Raoul Hodges, SANSA Space Operations
 Since the launch of SumbandilaSat almost two years ago, the locally developed prototype satellite programme has shown that failures, which are the norm for all high-risk space programmes, can be dealt with effectively. The satellite thereby achieved its goal of identifying possible problems and providing insights to ways of mitigating these... (more)
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Geospatial technologies and solutions - some of the success factorsby Adri de la Rey, Eskom
 One of the first challenges in the successful management of these geospatial data sets is the establishment of a robust meta data system where all the core geospatial data is managed. The second challenge will be to create and maintain the data catalogue which will adhere to both earth sciences and ICT criteria... ( more) |
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Fracking in the Karoo
by Chris Hartnady, Umvoto Africa
 A debate on Fracking in the Karoo, held earlier this year, saw Dr. Anthony Turton and myself supporting the motion that "... the current moratorium on the exploration and production of shale gas in the Karoo through the technique known as hydraulic fracturing ... should be extended indefinitely", while Prof. Philip Lloyd and Ivo Vegter vigorously opposed it... ( more) |
South Africa submits bid to host SKA radio telescope
Information from Department of Science and Technology
The NRF has submitted the documents supporting the African bid to host the Square Kilometre Array Radio Telescope. This follows the initial submission of expressions of interest in 2003 and of reports in 2005, which led to South Africa and Australia being shortlisted as both being suitable for the SKA... ( more) |
Advancing semi-submersible technology for maritime applications
by Chris Wolking and Art Kleiner, C&C Technologies
C&C Technologies is completing a multi-year development programme with the US Naval Research Laboratory Geospatial Science and Technology Branch to research unmanned semi-submersible technology. to replace conventional small manned conventional survey boats... ( more) |
Accelerated bridge construction speeds construction
Information from Topcon
Construction is now more than 30% complete on the $1,725-billion Utah County I-15 Corridor Expansion (I-15 CORE) highway reconstruction project 48 km south of Salt Lake City. The 39 km project calls for complete reconstruction of the existing roadway and the addition of two new lanes in each direction... (more) |
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A sea-level rise risk assessment for the City of Cape Town
by Darryl Colenbrander, City of Cape Town
In October 2003 the Cape Town formally adopted a Coastal Zone Management Strategy with the intention of managing and safeguarding the coastal asset for current and future generations... (more) |
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Workforce challenges, needs and expectations
by Heindrich du Plessis, CD:NGI and Dr. Adriaan van Niekerk, University of Stellenbosch
The geospatial industry stakeholders in government and business are competing to find qualified and competent GISc practitioners. In the USA, the department of labour identified geospatial technologies (which include GISc) as one of the three most important emerging and evolving industries... (more) |
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Veld fire rapid impact assessment
by Dawie Jansen van Vuuren, MetroGIS and Dewald van Niekerk, North-West University
Each year in SA, thousands of hectares of agricultural land, livestock, farming equipment, houses and lives are lost due to raging veld fires. During August 2011 the North-West Province experienced significant veld fires which quickly depleted the response capabilities of the role-players... (more) |
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The Housing/Human Settlements Atlas series
by Helga Goss, Karishma Busgeeth and Alize le Roux, CSIR
The national Department of Human Settlements contracted the Council for Scientific and Industrial Research (CSIR) for the development of the Human Settlements Atlas to provide a spatial interpretation of current policy as it relates to the establishment of sustainable human settlements... (more) |
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Vulnerabilities of GNSS services (Part Two)
Information from the Royal Academy of Engineering
All GNSS are vulnerable to failure, disruption and interference, and much work has been done to assess the possible failure modes and their effects on services, and to develop strategies to detect failures and correct them. The vulnerabilities of GNSS can broadly be classified into three different categories... (more) |
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Deformation monitoring expands business horizons
by Ian du Toit, Optron Geomatics
This article provides a broad overview of developments in the field of deformation monitoring, describes international best practices and techniques; and then focuses on the application of deformation monitoring in South Africa... (more) |
