The Hydrogen Epoch of Reionisation Array (Hera) in the Karoo has been awarded additional funding to the tune of R75 million to assist with the further expansion of the radio telescope to 350 dishes.
Last year, the US National Science Foundation provided $9.5 million funding to the Hera telescope.
The Hera telescope, which is under construction in the Northern Cape, was granted the status of a Square Kilometre Array (SKA) precursor telescope last year.
Hera is expected to assist astronomers to view the universe's first stars and galaxies. With construction having started in 2015, already 35 of the 14-metre diameter dishes have been erected.
In a statement, the Department of Science and Technology (DST) says the Hera radio telescope was awarded a grant from the Gordon and Betty Moore Foundation in the US.
The DST's acting chief director for the SKA and African Very Long Baseline Interferometry, Takalani Nemaungani, notes the cash injection was recognition of the attractiveness of the Karoo as an excellent location for astronomy in the country.
"Government's investments in astronomy in South Africa are also paying off," he says.
According to Nemaungani, the latest donation for Hera is another form of foreign direct investment in the country, through science, technology and innovation.
Kathryn Rosie, project engineer responsible for Hera's construction in the Karoo, says five local residents, who have been part of the Hera construction crew since 2015, have recently taken up positions as team leaders.
"In addition to maintaining construction activities, they now have the responsibility of training new construction team members. The build-out plan for the next construction phase sees five teams working in parallel to achieve the build targets, which require an output of approximately 100 dishes per year, and it is expected that the entire crew contingent will be made up of Karoo residents."
Dr Rob Adam, MD of SKA SA, says the additional funding is evidence of the confidence the international community has in the excellent skills and results SA is demonstrating.
"Furthermore, SKA SA remained committed to ensuring local communities and businesses benefit from the construction of radio telescopes in the Karoo, and Hera is a fine example of that."
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