Overview

The Radio Astronomy and Astrophysics Centre (RAAC) was established in 2013 when the then Ghana Space Science and Technology Centre (GSSTC) was upgraded to an Institute with a Management Board and Director. It is currently the focal point for all radio astronomy activities at the Institute in particular and Ghana in general.

One major activity of the RAAC is the Ghana Radio Astronomy Project (GRAP), which has seen the conversion of a redundant 32-metre telecommunications antenna to a Radio Telescope at Kuntunse, near Nsawam. The GRAP is a collaborative Project with South African Radio Astronomy Observatory (SARAO) and precursor to the SKA Project. As a partner country, Ghana is hosting a remote station of about 60 telescopes. The telescope will form part of the Global Very Long Baseline Interferometry (VLBI) Network. South Africa is currently the only African country which has a candidate in the Network as well as single dish observation. The RAAC will become a key partner in the implementation of the Square Kilometre Array (SKA) Project, which is being hosted by Australia and nine (9) other African partner countries including Ghana.

Our Activities

Radio Astronomy Research

Outreach and Science Awareness

The RAAC is enhancing science education through astronomy. The Team has established Astronomy Clubs in schools to expose young talents to science.

Strategies

  • Facilitate the establishment of VLBI where the telescopes in Ghana and in different countries observe sources simultaneously and the data is correlated in a central facility to which all AVN members should have access.
  • Perform single dish observation with joint research teams using techniques such as spectroscopy, pulsar timing, radio continuum flux measurement and wideband multichannel radiometry.
  • Investigate the possibility of intensity mapping experiments with GRAO.
  • Set up instrumentation and systems for Radio Frequency Interference (RFI) detection and data analysis/archival/interrogation/visualization.
  • Human capital development in Astronomy and related fields.
  • Establish radio astronomy clubs in schools
  • Establish a centre for development of spin-off industries

Human Resource Development and Training

The GSSTI believes in science and technology. We are therefore utilizing GRAO to build human capital in science, engineering and technology. The Observatory is used by graduate and undergraduate students for research and project works. Since 2014, we have trained about 15 students every year in astronomy and related sciences. Through these training, a lot of young talents have been able to secure admission for further studies both in Ghana and abroad. About 5 students get admission every year, to study space science and technology programmes at both the MSc and PhD levels.

Our Projects

Hosting of Viasat’s Real-Time Earth Ground Station

Viasat Inc. (NASDAQ: VSAT), is a global communications company which has collaborated with GSSTI to host it’s first t Real-Time Earth (RTE) facility in Africa. This has expanded Viasat’s ability to deliver critical earth observation and remote sensing data on-demand around the world. With this new station, Viasat’s RTE global network is now active in five continents. Viasat’s RTE satellite ground station facility is located at the Ghana Radio Astronomy Observatory, Kuntunse. It includes a Viasat full-motion 7.3M S/X/Ka-band antenna and associated infrastructure.

The development of Viasat’s new antenna site has been an extremely positive opportunity for the people and economy of Ghana. Ghana has positively grown its presences in the global space and technology sector and look forward to expanding the relationship with Viasat to bring additional new space opportunities, technologies and skillsets to Africa.

Ghana Radio Astronomy Project

The first phase of the Project (Ghana Radio Astronomy Observatory) was completed and inaugurated by the President of Ghana on 24th August 2017. The telescope has already participated in joint observations with the European VLBI Network.

The Centre is also establishing a radio astronomy club in schools. The aim of this is to use radio astronomy to attract young talents into science and technology. We are looking at educational tours to the Observatory, in-school demonstrations, etc, to facilitate this.

Old Antenna
Old telecommunications antenna (before conversion)
New Antenna
A new look of Ghana's radio telescope

Collaborations

South African Radio Astronomy Observatory (SARAO)

Ghana is collaborating with international organizations for the development of its space science and technology. One of our key collaborators is South African Radio Astronomy Observatory (SARAO). We have collaborated with SARAO in the conversion of Ghana’s telescope and human capital development. Ghana is also a member of the nine African partner countries to host the SKA project.

The Royal Society

Ghana, through GSSTI, is also collaborating with the Royal Society – UK and Development in Africa with Radio Astronomy (DARA) through the University of Leeds, UK, to develop young talents in space science. Through these collaborations, over 70 young Ghanaians have received training in basic astronomy and astrophysics. This includes hands-on training at GRAO to enable Africa acquire the needed human resource for the SKA project.


University of Bristol

The University of Bristol and GSSTI is collaborating to build capacity for big data management for Ghana’s developing economy. This collaboration will see the provision of a High Performance Cluster (HPC) and software facilities for high volume data storage and archiving, processing, visualisation, algorithm development and testing for research in academia and industry in Ghana, contributing to the development of data science and digital innovation capability in the country.