SA's micro-satellite, Sumbandila, is undergoing environmental testing and is on track to be launched in Russia in December.
The satellite, Africa's second, is being built by Stellenbosch-based SunSpace and Information Systems (SunSpace) in co-operation with the University of Stellenbosch. It is now at the Institute for Software and Space Applications (ISSA), close to Grabouw in the Western Cape, for its final environmental testing.
"The communications and experimental payloads are being integrated in readiness for the rigorous testing cycle which will start immediately after payload integration," says SunSpace's systems engineer, Hendrik Burger.
The Sumbandila satellite is sponsored by the Department of Science and Technology.
ISSA is an initiative of the Department of Communications, aimed at meeting the high level needs of the ICT sector. The facility is fully equipped for the design, programme management, integration and testing of small satellites.
Testing will continue throughout October. If successful, the satellite will be shipped to Russia during the first week of November. There, it will be integrated with the rocked and transported to a submarine from where it will be launched.
The launch window is between 20 and 25 December 2006. "We could have a great Christmas present," says Mzukizi Mazula, the University of Stellenbosch project manager for Sumbandila. "It all depends on a successful testing phase."
Payloads
The main payload of Sumbandila is a multi-spectral imager which has a 6.5 metre ground sampling distance with six spectral bands and is supported by on-board storage of 6GB, expandable to 24GB.
The experimental payloads are:
* SA AMSAT - 2m/70cm amateur radio transponder and digitalker. This will be useful to both the amateur radio fraternity and will have a large educational aspect of bringing space science into the class room.
* Software defined radio experiment.
* Architectural radiation experiment for commercial off the shelf devices.
* A forced vibrating string experiment from Nelson Mandela Metropolitan University.
* Very low frequency radio experiment from the University of KwaZulu-Natal.
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