Avanti Communications has been appointed by the UK Space Agency (UKSA) to deliver a major ICT infrastructure and e-learning programme to teachers in Tanzania. The satellite operator has been awarded the contract under the agency’s International Partnership Space Programme (IPSP), which exists to open up opportunities for the UK space sector to share expertise in real-world satellite technology and services overseas.
The iKnowledge programme will equip up to 250 schools in rural and under-served areas of Tanzania with ICT infrastructure. This includes broadband internet via satellite and provision of ICT training and educational content for teachers to apply in the classroom. It will use resilient Ka-band satellite technology and have support from the NGO Camara Education Tanzania and service provider Infinity Africa Network.
The UK space agency has also selected Avanti to deliver an air navigation project in Africa, SBAS-AFRICA. Africa has just three percent of global air traffic, and yet air accidents in Africa account for roughly 20 percent of the worldwide total. By demonstrating potential improvements in flight safety via SBAS technologies, the project can provide socio-economic benefits to the continent. Modelling identified a EUR 1.7 billion potential economic benefit to the African aviation sector.
SBAS-AFRICA will deliver a satellite based augmentation system for GNSS-based operations in the aviation sector. The project will use a unique asset, Avanti’s ARTEMIS L1 Navigation transponder, to provide a navigation data broadcast service.
