The Copperbelt University in Kitwe, Zambia, has officially joined a growing continental network of radio astronomy infrastructure with the successful installation of the Transient Array Radio Telescope TART, a 24-element instrument designed for real-time, all-sky monitoring of transient events.
This marks the fifth deployment of a TART system in Africa, following installations in Botswana, Kenya, Mauritius, and South Africa.
Developed in collaboration with the Electronics Research Foundation in New Zealand, TART is a compact, open-source radio telescope optimised for tracking satellites, near-Earth objects, and various cosmic phenomena.
Moreover, it serves as a hands-on platform for training and algorithm development, supporting a new generation of scientists and engineers in the field of radio astronomy.
The installation was made possible through support from DARA Development in Africa with Radio Astronomy and the South African Radio Astronomy Observatory (SARAO), under the NRF.
It was accompanied by a dedicated training workshop involving faculty and postgraduate students from Copperbelt University, Mulungushi University, Kwame Nkrumah University, and Mukuba University.
This initiative reflects a strong commitment to capacity building, cross-institutional collaboration, and long-term scientific development.
It also reinforces Zambia’s growing participation in global radio astronomy, contributing to the broader Square Kilometre Array SKA initiative as one of Africa’s eight partner countries.
The successful deployment of TART in Zambia was made possible through the contributions of Prof. Oleg Smirnov (RATT), Dr. Tim Molteno, Benjamin Hugo, and a network of committed partners.
Their efforts have helped transform a shared vision into a tangible scientific asset that will advance education and research across the region.
Additionally, as part of a continent-wide movement to democratise access to advanced scientific tools, TART Zambia stands as a testament to the power of innovation, education, and partnership.
It is opening new frontiers in space science and reinforcing Africa’s role in the global astronomy community.
Source: https://spaceinafrica.com/2025/06/26/au-launches-space-for-early-warning-in-africa-sewa-programme-to-strengthen-climate-resilience/