Gamsberg telescope shares global prize

THE High Energy Stereoscopic System at Gamsberg, better known as the HESS telescope, was chosen recently in Brussels as one of the three research projects that would share the international one-million-Euro (approximately N$9,5 million) Descartes Prize.

The EU Descartes Prize was launched in 2000 and rewards teams of scientists for outstanding scientific or technological results achieved through trans-national research in any field of science, including the social sciences, humanities and economics. A press release by the European Commission said this year’s winners were selected from amongst 13 nominees, which were in turn selected from 66 categories.They are chosen by the Grand Jury, chaired by Claudie Haigneré, former French Minister for EU Affairs and ESA Astronaut.The jury is made up of 22 eminent scientists from 11 EU countries, and covers a broad range of scientific disciplines.Dr Riaan Steenkamp, HESS project scientist at the University of Namibia, said the prize paved the way for the HESS project’s second phase, which could be up and running within the next five years.”We were very excited when we heard that we won the prize with two other research groups.The HESS project is the most prestigious scientific research project in Namibia and the Descartes just gives it even more scope and status,” he told The Namibian.He said the announcement (sent to him via e-mail) had come as a surprise, although his team was aware that they would be entered as a candidate for the prestigious award.He said projects such as HESS involved many partners from all over the world who have to lobby for financial and other support.This was specifically the case in getting the first phase off the ground in 2002 in the Gamsberg region.HESS is a system of Imaging Atmospheric Cherenkov Telescopes for the investigation of cosmic gamma rays in the 100 GeV energy range.Steenkamp added that one of the major breakthroughs of the initial phase was the confirmation of the origin of cosmic rays two years ago, which was published in international scientific journals.”The first phase proved to be a tremendous success, and now, especially with this type of acknowledgement, we can confidently say that we are ready to enter the second phase,” he said.”To have a share in the Descartes prize, our financial burden to implement the next phase is also made lighter.”He said the money would go into the design, manufacturing and testing of the unique electronic equipment that would be needed for the project’s second phase.”People might think that we have earned ourselves a bit of money, but I can assure you, it all gets ploughed back into the project.This is about maintaining a high standard of scientific research using cutting-edge technology,” he said.Steenkamp said that phase one consisted of harnessing four 12m-diameter reflectors and cost about N$70,5 million.The second phase consists of the design and manufacture of a single 30m-diameter reflector and costs are estimated at N$90 million.He said it might take up to five years to get the second phase up and running.Asked what the Descartes Prize means for Namibia, Steenkamp said it would most of all enhance Namibia’s status in accommodating international scientific research projects.He agreed that it might also give the Ministry of Education more motivation to promote science and mathematics in local schools.The other two projects that shared in the prize were the Hydrosol project, which has developed a method of producing hydrogen from water-splitting, using the energy of the sun, which could lead to environmentally friendly production of hydrogen for energy purposes; and the third APOPTOSIS project, which has made great strides in the understanding of apoptosis (programmed cell death), which will lead to new developments in future treatment of cancer and AIDS.A press release by the European Commission said this year’s winners were selected from amongst 13 nominees, which were in turn selected from 66 categories.They are chosen by the Grand Jury, chaired by Claudie Haigneré, former French Minister for EU Affairs and ESA Astronaut.The jury is made up of 22 eminent scientists from 11 EU countries, and covers a broad range of scientific disciplines.Dr Riaan Steenkamp, HESS project scientist at the University of Namibia, said the prize paved the way for the HESS project’s second phase, which could be up and running within the next five years.”We were very excited when we heard that we won the prize with two other research groups.The HESS project is the most prestigious scientific research project in Namibia and the Descartes just gives it even more scope and status,” he told The Namibian.He said the announcement (sent to him via e-mail) had come as a surprise, although his team was aware that they would be entered as a candidate for the prestigious award. He said projects such as HESS involved many partners from all over the world who have to lobby for financial and other support.This was specifically the case in getting the first phase off the ground in 2002 in the Gamsberg region.HESS is a system of Imaging Atmospheric Cherenkov Telescopes for the investigation of cosmic gamma rays in the 100 GeV energy range.Steenkamp added that one of the major breakthroughs of the initial phase was the confirmation of the origin of cosmic rays two years ago, which was published in international scientific journals.”The first phase proved to be a tremendous success, and now, especially with this type of acknowledgement, we can confidently say that we are ready to enter the second phase,” he said.”To have a share in the Descartes prize, our financial burden to implement the next phase is also made lighter.”He said the money would go into the design, manufacturing and testing of the unique electronic equipment that would be needed for the project’s second phase.”People might think that we have earned ourselves a bit of money, but I can assure you, it all gets ploughed back into the project.This is about maintaining a high standard of scientific research using cutting-edge technology,” he said.Steenkamp said that phase one consisted of harnessing four 12m-diameter reflectors and cost about N$70,5 million.The second phase consists of the design and manufacture of a single 30m-diameter reflector and costs are estimated at N$90 million.He said it might take up to five years to get the second phase up and running.Asked what the Descartes Prize means for Namibia, Steenkamp said it would most of all enhance Namibia’s status in accommodating international scientific research projects.He agreed that it might also give the Ministry of Education more motivation to promote science and mathematics in local schools.The other two projects that shared in the prize were the Hydrosol project, which has developed a method of producing hydrogen from water-splitting, using the energy of the sun, which could lead to environmentally friendly production of hydrogen for energy purposes; and the third APOPTOSIS project, which has made great strides in the understanding of apoptosis (programmed cell death), which will lead to new developments in future treatment of cancer and AIDS.