SA's satellite to be launched in March
23 January 2009
SumbandilaSat, South Africa's R26-million low-orbit satellite, will be launched by a rocket from Russia's Baikonur Comsodrome on 25 March, giving the country affordable access to its own space technology and data.
The 80-kilogram satellite will orbit at a height of 500km, collecting data for use in the management of natural disasters like floods, fires and oil spills in southern Africa. It will also be able to measure temperatures at sea and land, clouds and rainfall, winds, sea levels, ice cover, vegetation cover and gases.
"Satellites assist us in understanding the earth system, in order to improve human health, safety and welfare, to protect the environment, to reduce disaster losses, and to achieve sustainable development," Science and Technology Minister Mosibudi Mangena said when the project was first announced in late 2005.
He added that space technology was an indispensable tool for the development of South Africa and the continent.
Satellite partnership
The project was carried out in partnership with SunSpace and Information Systems, the University of Stellenbosch and the Satellite Application Centre. The university was responsible for managing the project as well as training the students, while SunSpace was tasked with building the satellite.
The Satellite Application Centre will be responsible for operations, telemetry, tracking, control as well as data capturing.
The Council for Scientific and Industrial Research (CSIR) will be responsible for its mission control. It will receive the image data from satellite and will be tasked with the monitoring and controlling of the satellite, include maintaining the satellite and programming it to perform its various functions on orbit.
Educational opportunities
SumbandilaSat will be South Africa's second satellite, after the launch of SunSat 1, a modest satellite built by students and lecturers at Stellenbosch University in 1999.
Like SunSat 1, the SumbandilaSat project presents several educational opportunities for school pupils and postgraduate students at the Limpopo, Venda, North West, Kwazulu-Natal and Stellenbosch universities.
Its construction was completed at Stellenbosch University and handed over to the Department of Science and Technology in November 2006. Nine intern students were also exposed to hands-on satellite related engineering, software engineering, geography and agriculture remote sensing.
Preparations for launch
According to the SA Amateur Radio Satellite Association website, the satellite was originally scheduled for launch from a Stihl rocket from a Russian submarine, but the deal was scuppered due to "political reasons". Following discussions between Russian and South African diplomats, it was decided that the launch would now take place from the Baikonur launch complex.
"SumbandilaSat has been unpacked and is undergoing testing at SunSpace in Stellenbosch before it will be shipped to Russia for integration with the launch vehicle," the website says. "Engineers at the launch site are preparing a special adapter ring to accommodate the Sumbandila structure on the rocket."
SAinfo reporter and BuaNews
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