The Ministry of Science and Technology is optimistic that SA's low-earth orbiting satellite will finally launch today.
SumbandilaSat should have launched yesterday, and the day before, but technical glitches held up the take-off. The satellite is now set to be launched at 5.55pm today.
Tuesday's expected launch was marred by reports of bad weather and a technical glitch at the Baikonur Cosmodrome, in Kazakhstan. This is the second low-orbit satellite to be launched by SA, but it has been repeatedly delayed after its first launch date was missed in December 2006.
In October 2005, then minister of science and technology Mosibudi Mangena announced the department's three-year R26 million satellite development project. SumbandilaSat is the highlight of the programme and was delivered to the Department of Science and Technology in November 2006.
“The Ministry of Science and Technology remains optimistic that the launch will take place within the period granted for the launch,” it says.
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