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CEOS chair meets with Thai successor
(Front) Wabile Motswasele (CSIR), Dr Darasri Dowreang, Deputy Director of GISTDA, Raoul Hodges (CSIR) and Dr Pakorn Apaphant (GISTDA); (back) Asanda Ntisana and Alex Fortescue (both CSIR) |
Representatives from Thailand's Geo-Informatics and Space Technology Development Agency (GISTDA) were treated to a 'royal' welcome from the current chair of the Committee on Earth Observation Satellites (CEOS), the CSIR Satellite Applications Centre, during a visit from 18 to 20 June 2008. GISTDA is the incoming chair of CEOS and will take over the chair at the CEOS Plenary planned for November 2008 in George.
Speaking on behalf of CEOS Chair, Pontsho Maruping, the CSIR's Wabile Motswasele explains, "As part of the CEOS troika, it has been the CSIR's duty to share experiences and give guidance to our successor. We were fortunate enough to receive this very same support a year ago from the previous chair, the United States Geographic Survey, better known as the USGS."
Dr Darasri Dowreang, Deputy Director of GISTDA, was joined by her colleague, Dr Pakorn Apaphant, on this visit that included discussions at the CSIR's main campus in Tshwane and a visit to the Hartebeesthoek site. The day visit to Hartebeesthoek provided an excellent opportunity for extensive mutual sharing of ideas. A CSIR special project, 'Data democracy for development', was well received by GISTDA. In addition, the CSIR plans to promote a long-term regional training centre, focused on promoting earth observation skills to secondary school learners, and providing specialised training for tertiary education students and researchers from South Africa and the region.
Raoul Hodges, operations manager of the CSIR Satellite Applications Centre, comments, "It is encouraging that the CEOS chair will pass to an organisation such as GISTDA, which demonstrates a thorough understanding of the leadership requirements for this post as well as a high level of technical expertise."
With a staff of approximately 230 people, GISTDA is bigger than the CSIR Satellite Applications Centre and has a ground receiving station in Bangkok and Lad Krabang, and a control centre for Thailand's first satellite, Thailand Earth Observation System (THEOS). THEOS will be launched in 2008 and will provide Thailand with worldwide geo-referenced image products and image processing capabilities.
The visit included a tour of the facility at Hartebeesthoek. Hodges confirms, "It is very likely that through CEOS, we have struck up a good working relationship with our counterpart in Thailand. I look forward to exploring areas of mutual benefit, particularly regarding the mission control component of THEOS and the value-adding activities in the earth observation domain.
Enquiries: CEOS office or CSIR Communications |
