The South African National Space Agency (SANSA), in collaboration with the Aerospace Systems Research Institute (ASRI) – a University of KwaZulu-Natal spinoff focused on developing South Africa's commercial space launch capabilities – successfully tested a new suborbital launch facility at the Denel Overberg Test Range.
This state-of-the-art facility, featuring a precision 360-degree launch gantry, supports advanced rocket testing and research, as demonstrated by successful test launches of the Phoenix rockets and a SANSA payload that gathered valuable magnetic field data transmitted via telemetry. This data is expected to significantly boost SANSA's magnetic research and international reputation.
SANSA hailed this achievement as a crucial step in building a thriving and sustainable South African space ecosystem, fostering future generations of space scientists.
ASRI, funded by the Department of Science, Technology and Innovation, has already designed and launched several suborbital rockets and is developing the Saffire engine to power future suborbital and orbital (CLV) launch vehicles.
South Africa's planned 20-meter CLV, powered by nine Saffire engines, will have a 200-500 kg payload capacity for small satellites. ASRI aims to launch from an expanded Overberg Test Range facility by 2028.