South Africa's national space policy: The dawn of a new space era

South Africa has made significant advances in attempting to organise and formalise its space sector with the prime focus of leveraging the benefits of space science and technology for socio-economic growth and sustainable development. A particular instrument in this regard is the National Space Policy, which provides for a set of strategic objectives and guiding principles in terms of how stakeholders, both state and non-state actors, should organise and conduct themselves within the framework of a national space programme. The National Space Policy aims to improve the level of co-ordination and co-operative governance in the space sector that in the past has been fragmented and disorganised, and to further develop a domestic space industrial base. The foundation for a sustainable national space programme hinges critically on the participation of the domestic industry in the national space agenda and thereto the creation of a supportive regulatory environment is necessary. This paper provides insight into the main tenets of South Africa’s National Space Policy with the aim of highlighting the key policy directives.