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SANSA Hermanus Construction Project Site Development Plan
Building on SANSA’S new Space Weather Centre building commences with a sod turning ceremony.
On Tuesday, 9 March 2021, the Higher Education, Science and Innovation Minister, Dr Blade Nzimande, along with Overstrand Executive Mayor Dudley Coetzee launched the multimillion-rand new Space Weather Centre with a sod-turning ceremony.
The event was marked with much elation from SANSA board members, staff, contractors and stakeholders concerned.
The new Space Weather Centre will be a 788m² building on the premises of the SANSA Hermanus Campus in Westcliff near the provincial and private hospitals which is preserved as a magnetically clean environment. The unique aspects of the magnetically clean environment, as well as the magnetic observatory principles apply, allowing SANSA to pursue near Earth space environment research and to offer specialised products and services.
It is expected that the Space Weather Centre will be fully operational as a 24/7 full service centre from 1 October 2022.
On addressing those present Mayor Coetzee stated that it is an honour for him to be part of this ground-breaking ceremony as the space weather centre has been designed to house world class expertise and will attract leading scientists from around the world to Hermanus and be a centre of excellence in space weather. “This fits perfectly into Hermanus and Overstrand Municipality’s motto where we also strive to be a centre of excellence to our community on a daily basis”.
He commended SANSA for progress made in the delivery of a training centre, where young people will gain their knowledge in space weather in Hermanus and from where they will go into the world to apply their knowledge - “and that makes me proud to be your Mayor”, he said.
Over the past decade, SANSA has delivered an impressive array of products and services to various sectors such as aviation, space and maritime. In 2021, SANSA celebrates 80 years of magnetic observatory recordings in Hermanus - and it is therefore fitting that this new weather space centre should be built here in Hermanus. “I wish you much success and all the best for your future endeavours,” he concluded.
