South Africa:SumbandilaSat

Space Technology is no longer the exclusive preserve of the developed economies of the north. The launch of SumbandilaSat at the end of 2009 has proved that South Africa is taking up its rightful place in this and other advanced technology industries.

"Sumbandila", which means showing or pointing the way and freely translated into English as "pathfinder", was launched into space on the evening of Thursday, 17 September 2009, from the Baikonur Cosmodrome in Kazakhstan.

To mark the launch of South Africa's second locally-built micro-satellite, SumbandilaSat, the South African Post Office issued a set of five stamps and a Commemorate Cover on 1 April 2011. The stamps were designed using photographs from the Satellite Application Centre (SAC) at Hartebeeshoek and the University of Stellenbosch. They represent "Development", "Launch" and "Tracking".

Issue Description
The R26-million low-orbit micro-satellite, weighing 81 kg and about 1 x in size, is the result of a three-year integrated capacity and satellite development programme commissioned by the Department of Science and Technology (DST) in 2005. It was carried out by the University of Stellenbosch Engineering Faculty. This is the same organisation that developed SunSat1, which was launched in 1999.

SumbandilaSat was manufactured by SunSpace and Information Systems, South Africa's only manufacturer of satellite systems, and one of only two in Africa.

SunSpace developed out of the SUNSAT programme at the University of Stellenbosch. It manufactures high-value small- and medium-sized satellite systems for the local and international aerospace market.

Among the many benefits SumbandilaSat will offer South Africa, is information that will assist in the effective management of disasters such as floods and fires, food security such as crop-yield estimation and health, as well as safety and security, water resources and energy security.

The satellite orbits about 500 to 510 km above the earth carrying high-resolution cameras. These produce images to be used for purposes such as agriculture, mapping of infrastructure and land-use, population measurement and the monitoring of water levels in dams.

This information is streamed to the SAC at Hartebeeshoek, near Pretoria. The SAC carries out the command and communications functions by tracking the satellite using a large dish antenna.

The SAC is no stranger to controlling satellites. About 90% of satellites in the world pass over South African airspace on their way out of the atmosphere and the scientists at SAC guide many of them through their first few days in orbit. SAC has performed this service for satellites developed both by international space programmes and private enterprises. However, SumbandilaSat is the first satellite SAC calls its own.

The launch of SumbandilaSat has strengthened South Africa's technological and innovation capability in space science and technology, as well as reinforced the country's role in national, regional and international space initiatives.

One of the goals of entering the space programme is for it to act as a catalyst for scientific progress in the country. It will trickle research and development down to students at institutions of higher learning and create much-needed jobs.

The name of the satellite was the result of a competition held among high school learners. Entries were received in various languages, but a Venda-language entry, namely "Sumbandila" was ultimately chosen. Freely translated into English, it means "pathfinder".

South Africa first entered the "space age" with the launch of SunSat 1, a modest satellite built by students and lecturers at the University of Stellenbosch in 1999. It carried various experiments, as well as and an amateur radio transponder that delighted radio enthusiast world-wide. From this modest beginning grew SunSpace (Pty) Ltd..

Sheetlet
The Stamp Sheet contains ten stamps (two x five designs).

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