Assessment of the potential for developing a micro-launcher industry in South Africa

dc.contributor.advisorMartinez, Peter
dc.contributor.authorCampbell, Victoria
dc.date.accessioned2020-02-20T09:49:33Z
dc.date.available2020-02-20T09:49:33Z
dc.date.issued2019
dc.date.updated2020-02-20T09:20:28Z
dc.description.abstractSmall satellites have dramatically lowered the barriers to participating in space activities for many emerging countries, including South Africa. The rapid up-take of this facet of space technology has spurred the development of several micro-launchers dedicated to lofting small satellites to low Earth orbit. However, the majority of these micro-launcher initiatives and the majority of spaceports in use are located in the northern hemisphere, and there are currently no operational spaceports in Africa. In this study the potential for developing a micro-launcher industry in South Africa is explored, building on the launch facilities established for the previous space programme of the 1980s and early 1990s, and existing capabilities in present-day academic institutions and industry. Potential markets, financial requirements, technical feasibility, available infrastructure, and regulatory and policy aspects of such a venture are reviewed with respect to South Africa’s current political situation and attitude towards space activities. Several possible options for establishing small satellite launch capabilities in South Africa are used as a framework to assess the feasibility of a micro-launcher industry in South Africa. These range from a simple “ship and shoot” scenario with no indigenously developed technology to more complex cooperative arrangements which would, to varying degrees, require technology transfers and cooperation with potential international partners.
dc.identifier.apacitationCampbell, V. (2019). <i>Assessment of the potential for developing a micro-launcher industry in South Africa</i>. (). ,Engineering and the Built Environment ,Department of Electrical Engineering. Retrieved from http://hdl.handle.net/11427/31188en_ZA
dc.identifier.chicagocitationCampbell, Victoria. <i>"Assessment of the potential for developing a micro-launcher industry in South Africa."</i> ., ,Engineering and the Built Environment ,Department of Electrical Engineering, 2019. http://hdl.handle.net/11427/31188en_ZA
dc.identifier.citationCampbell, V. 2019. Assessment of the potential for developing a micro-launcher industry in South Africa.en_ZA
dc.identifier.ris TY - Thesis / Dissertation AU - Campbell, Victoria AB - Small satellites have dramatically lowered the barriers to participating in space activities for many emerging countries, including South Africa. The rapid up-take of this facet of space technology has spurred the development of several micro-launchers dedicated to lofting small satellites to low Earth orbit. However, the majority of these micro-launcher initiatives and the majority of spaceports in use are located in the northern hemisphere, and there are currently no operational spaceports in Africa. In this study the potential for developing a micro-launcher industry in South Africa is explored, building on the launch facilities established for the previous space programme of the 1980s and early 1990s, and existing capabilities in present-day academic institutions and industry. Potential markets, financial requirements, technical feasibility, available infrastructure, and regulatory and policy aspects of such a venture are reviewed with respect to South Africa’s current political situation and attitude towards space activities. Several possible options for establishing small satellite launch capabilities in South Africa are used as a framework to assess the feasibility of a micro-launcher industry in South Africa. These range from a simple “ship and shoot” scenario with no indigenously developed technology to more complex cooperative arrangements which would, to varying degrees, require technology transfers and cooperation with potential international partners. DA - 2019 DB - OpenUCT DP - University of Cape Town KW - electrical engineering LK - https://open.uct.ac.za PY - 2019 T1 - Assessment of the potential for developing a micro-launcher industry in South Africa TI - Assessment of the potential for developing a micro-launcher industry in South Africa UR - http://hdl.handle.net/11427/31188 ER - en_ZA
dc.identifier.urihttp://hdl.handle.net/11427/31188
dc.identifier.vancouvercitationCampbell V. Assessment of the potential for developing a micro-launcher industry in South Africa. []. ,Engineering and the Built Environment ,Department of Electrical Engineering, 2019 [cited yyyy month dd]. Available from: http://hdl.handle.net/11427/31188en_ZA
dc.language.rfc3066eng
dc.publisher.departmentDepartment of Electrical Engineering
dc.publisher.facultyFaculty of Engineering and the Built Environment
dc.subjectelectrical engineering
dc.titleAssessment of the potential for developing a micro-launcher industry in South Africa
dc.typeMaster Thesis
dc.type.qualificationlevelMasters
dc.type.qualificationnameMPhil
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