The Denel Overberg Test Range (OTR) has – thanks to funding from the Department of Science, Technology and Innovation (DSTI) – added a “sub-orbital sounding rocket launch facility” to its inventory.
The facility was commissioned in October and unveiled by deputy DSTI minister Nomalungelo Gina last week (3 December) and seen as a first for South Africa and what is termed “a landmark achievement [locally] in the advancement of aerospace technology and innovation”.
The new launch facility was implemented by the Aerospace Systems Research Institute (ASRI) at the University of KwaZulu-Natal (UKZN).
“The space infrastructure programme funded by the DSTI and built by the University of KwaZulu-Natal’s Aerospace Systems Research Institute is a demonstration of what the combined efforts, resources and expertise of government, industry and institutions of knowledge production can achieve, working together for one national goal. This facility here today is a beacon of this partnership,” said the Deputy Minister.
It is designed as a pivotal resource for next generation aerospace projects and the facility will be used for testing and preparing advanced rocket systems, supporting critical research initiatives and driving technological progress in the aerospace industry.
According to the Deputy Minister, the facility is a significant step in South African endeavours to establish a launch capability.
“This gantry is a national asset that will be used to launch sub-orbital rockets built by ASRI and can accommodate larger solid-propellant vehicles of the type operated by spacefaring nations, including potential international clients on the continent and worldwide,” she said.
Unlike orbital launch vehicles that can steer themselves, sub-orbital rockets are unguided and must be launched off a gantry that can be accurately aimed, depending on flight trajectory, mission requirements and safety risks.
The new launch gantry has a state-of-the-art aiming and control system which allows the boom to rotate through 360 degrees in the horizontal plane, while enabling elevation to the vertical. This makes for pinpoint aiming accuracy in any direction and fast adjustment to account for factors including wind direction changes on launch days, a DSTI statement has it.
Standing as tall as a six-storey building when vertical, the boom can be lowered into the horizontal position during loading of the rocket on to the rail as well as for fitting of ground support systems to enable fuelling and the launch of the vehicle.
ASRI Director, Professor Mike Brooks, said the facility is equipped for advanced rocket testing, propulsion system development and flight-testing new technologies. Additionally it supports research in aerospace innovation, ensuring safe and efficient operations.
“The facility is designed to enable sub-orbital sounding rocket missions into the high atmosphere and beyond into space. Many countries use sounding rockets to conduct research related to atmospheric physics, radiation and magnetism in regions too high for balloons and too low for orbiting satellites.
“Sounding rockets help advance our understanding of the Earth and its atmosphere, but they are sizeable vehicles and need a purpose-built gantry from which to launch. The new facility makes it possible to launch ASRI’s smaller Phoenix hybrid rockets that reach around 18 km and are used for training young engineers, but it can also accommodate much larger commercial sounding rockets that can achieve altitudes above 200 km, which is well into space,” said Brooks.
ASRI sees the facility as a cornerstone too advance South Africa’s national priorities, including economic growth, job creation and skills development. By fostering innovation in aerospace technology the facility will attract investment, stimulate local industries and open new markets. It is designed to create highly skilled jobs while offering training opportunities that equip the next generation of engineers and scientists. Through these efforts, the facility will contribute significantly to positioning South Africa as a global leader in space exploration and technological innovation.
“Having a local facility from which to launch such rockets will act as a catalyst to bring rockets to South Africa for scientific missions. Importantly, it will also catalyse the local aerospace industry to develop a South African sounding rocket, as well as the payloads, onboard sensors and subsystems that go into these advanced machines. These activities will stimulate the South Africa’s aerospace industry, creating new economic opportunities for the local advanced manufacturing industry,” Brooks is quoted as saying.
The newly launched facility was put through its paces, successfully launching sounding rockets the Phoenix-1D on 2 December and Phoenix-1E two days later.
The gantry performed as advertised with the rockets doing the same during testing, reaching altitudes of 16.6 km and 11.9 km, respectively. One transmitted magnetometer data sampled during flight back to ground via a telemetry link, giving SA National Space Agency (SANSA) scientists an additional method of sampling the earth’s magnetic field. UKZN is among the top universities globally in terms of its ability to engineer high-performance hybrid rockets.
The unveiling of the national sounding rocket facility is a significant step forward in realising South Africa’s vision of a vibrant and sustainable space ecosystem, according to the DSTI. As the facility begins operations it will not only elevate South Africa’s position in global space research, but also inspire the next generation of space scientists, engineers and innovators, the Department said.
