SA outpaces African counterparts in space science research, study finds

SOUTH Africa continues to lead the continent in scientific output, according to a new peer-reviewed study analysing a decade of African space science research. 

Between 2014 and 2023, Africa published 2290 space science papers in recognised international journals, according to the research study. 

South Africa produced 936 of these publications, just over 40% of Africa’s total output, demonstrating the country’s strong scientific capability in this strategically important domain. 

The study was conducted entirely by Nigerian researchers, providing independent and objective insight into South Africa’s performance within the broader African landscape.

Across its Space Science and Earth Observation programmes, the South African National Space Agency (SANSA) published about 352 research papers during the same decade. 

This reflects more than one-third (37.6%) of South Africa’s total space science publications and over one in every seven (15.4%) of Africa’s space science research publications.

SANSA said this contribution is particularly notable given SANSA’s small cohort of publishing researchers, supported by technical, operations, engineering and administrative expertise across the Agency. 

“The research cohort has shown significant progress towards the transformation of the research group profile. 

“Within the Space Science group, the gender balance has gone from eight men and only two women in 2014 to nine men and nine women by 2023,” SANSA said.

Cape Times