The South African government recognizes that space science and technology can contribute to a wide range of national priority issues, such as job creation, poverty reduction, resource management, and rural development. As a result, they have formulated a strategy to utilize the space programme to enhance the quality of life for citizens and promote sustainable economic development.

Prerequisites:

• Institutional & political interest and support for space science

• Understand national policies and identify national policies that utilise space science data

• Identify and build relationships with relevant ministries, local companies, and other stakeholders to gather comprehensive data on existing space science usage in the nation

• Inter-ministerial working group

• Partner support as needed

Cost:

• Ballpark: USD 10k–50k

• Includes: literature review, stakeholder consultations, expert advisory, report drafting and validation

Timeframe:

• Overall: 6–12 mo

• Phase: scoping (1–2 mo), consultation (2–4 mo), drafting (2–4 mo), validation (1–2 mo)

Pros:

• Policy Alignment – Increases the likelihood of government support by aligning projects with national priorities and goals.

• Investment Efficiency – Allows for efficient resource utilization, maximising the impact of investments

Considerations:

• Multi-Stakeholder Collaboration - Requires potential collaboration with a variety of stakeholders, including government agencies, industry leaders, and academic institutions.