The Aerospace Systems Research Institute (ASRI) recently began static fire tests of its SAFFIRE engine, which could power South Africa’s first orbital rocket.
South Africa could become home to fully-fledged orbital space rocket launches in the next four years if the Aerospace Systems Research Institute has its way., operating under the mechanical engineering faculty at the University of KwaZulu-Natal .
The engineers and their postgraduate students have designed, built, and tested several research rocket motors and successfully launched five out of six suborbital rockets — also called sounding rockets. This engine will be used on a sub-orbital launch vehicle nicknamed STeVe and, eventually, a planned Commercial Launch Vehicle .
The first steps in establishing this facility are already underway, with a suborbital rocket gantry and permanent rocket engine testing structure currently under construction and set to be completed within the next few months.Below is a video of the SAFFIRE engine being tested in June 2024.ASRI plans to build a rocket launchpad and supporting infrastructure at Denel’s Overberg Test range outside Arniston in the Western Cape.
In addition, there might be strategic reasons why South Africa does not want to be dependent on other countries, which could deny it the right to enter orbit for various reasons. “If we launch foreign satellites on a South African vehicle, we can attract foreign income and generate tax revenue for the country.”
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