Ghana Space Science Institute

The Ghana Space Science and Technology Institute (GSSTI) is a national research and coordinating body operating under the Ghana Atomic Energy Commission. It functions as the primary vehicle for Ghana’s entry into the space sector, focusing on the conversion of decommissioned telecommunications infrastructure into scientific instruments. The institute serves as a link between government policy and technical implementation, facilitating high-level research in satellite communications and global navigation systems. The organisation is best known for the Ghana Radio Astronomy Observatory project at Kuntunse, where a 32-metre redundant satellite dish was converted into a radio telescope. This facility forms a critical node of the African Very Long Baseline Interferometry Network (AVN). The institute collaborates closely with the South African Radio Astronomy Observatory (SARAO) and the Square Kilometre Array (SKA) project, while also partnering with the Ghana Space Agency on Earth observation initiatives for agriculture and maritime monitoring. Prospective partners should verify the current operational status and calibration schedules of the Kuntunse observatory for specific observation windows. It is also necessary to confirm the specific division of regulatory authority between the institute and the Ghana Space Agency to ensure compliance with national licensing. Buyers of Earth observation data should assess the institute’s current processing infrastructure and data latency capabilities.