On Thursday 13 February 2003 the National Astrophysics and Space Science Programme was officially launched at a function attended by among others the US Ambassador Mr Cameron R Hume and the Director-General of Science & Technology Dr Rob Adams.
The new NASSP students had a chance to meet Deputy Vice Chancellor Cheryl de la Rey and many guests from the Departments of Maths & Applied Maths, Physics, Astronomy and Statistics at UCT, as well as representatives from some of the universities currently part of the NASSP consortium: University of Zululand, Rhodes University, University of Natal, Potchefstroom University, University of the NorthWest.
The students were also joined by representatives from the NRF, SAAO, iThemba Labs and SALT.