Satellite still grounded

Johannesburg, 16 Sept 2009

The launch of SA's first government-owned satellite has been rescheduled for later today.

The Department of Science and Technology (DST) says SumbandilaSat did not get off the ground yesterday as planned, following reports of bad weather and a technical glitch at Baikonur Cosmodrome, in Kazakhstan.

Russian space agency Roskosmos also delayed the launch of its own Meteor M meteorological satellite.

SumbandilaSat is no stranger to delays. The second low-orbit satellite to be launched by SA has waited for its chance to fly since its initial launch date was missed in December 2006.

The launch is supposed to be the culmination of the DST's three-year, R26 million integrated capacity-building and satellite development project. In October 2005, then minister of science and technology Mosibudi Mangena announced the project, and the satellite was delivered to the DST in November 2006.

Despite another delay, the department is hopeful SumbandilaSat will make its way into space this afternoon. The department says the technical problems experienced yesterday are being dealt with. “Technicians are working on it.”

SumbandilaSat will be used to keep information flow in Africa to help with disasters, food security, health and security, among other functions.

The satellite will orbit at between 500km and 600km above the earth, and will sport high-definition cameras for accurate mapping of land and infrastructure use. The snaps will be streamed to the Satellite Applications Centre (SAC), at Hartbeeshoek, near Pretoria.

The SAC is expected to then carry out the command and communications functions by tracking the satellite using a large dish antenna.

DST says SumbandilaSat is set to “strengthen SA's technological and innovation capability in space science and technology, as well as reinforce the country's role in national, regional and international space initiatives”.