Ghana Satellite Earth Station

At Kuntunse, on the Accra-Nsawam Road in Ghana's Greater Accra Region, a satellite dish built for telecommunications now doubles as Africa's largest steerable single-dish radio telescope.

About the Ghana Satellite Earth Station

Originally built as the Ghana Satellite Earth Station, the site was constructed by Spar Aerospace Technology of Canada in partnership with INTELSAT and commissioned on 12 August 1981. It was first operated by the Ghana Telecommunications Corporation, with Ghana Vodafone assuming 70% ownership on 3 July 2008. The site is now known as the Ghana Radio Astronomy Observatory (GRAO).

History

The 32-metre main dish was recommissioned as a radio telescope, formally launching GRAO on 24 August 2017 in a ceremony attended by President Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo-Addo and South African Minister Naledi Pandor. The observatory is part of the African VLBI Network (AVN), which is preparing the continent's radio astronomy capacity ahead of the Square Kilometre Array (SKA) project. The site's land area has shrunk from an original 163 acres to around 30 acres due to encroachment.

Telescopes & research

GRAO's main instrument is a 32-metre dish, the largest steerable single-dish radio telescope in Africa, alongside two medium and two small dishes retained from its satellite-communications days. It is operated by the Ghana Space Science and Technology Institute (GSSTI) and contributes to African radio astronomy and SKA-related research.

Location & getting there

The observatory is located in Kuntunse, on the Accra-Nsawam Road, a suburb of Accra in Ghana's Greater Accra Region.

Visiting the Ghana Radio Astronomy Observatory

For current tour or visiting arrangements, contact the Ghana Space Science and Technology Institute (GSSTI) directly, or check gssti.org, before planning a trip.

See your named star from here

GRAO's giant dish is tuned to radio waves rather than visible light, but it stands as a reminder of just how far a well-aimed instrument can reach into the sky. For an optical view of a named star's exact coordinates, any observatory with a suitable telescope can help. Name a star, or browse the star catalogue.