Celebrating TshepisoSAT: one year in space
CELEBRATE: TshepisoSAT - one year in space
Monday, 17 November 2014
TshepisoSAT, Africa’s first nanosatellite, will celebrate one year in space on Friday, 21 November 2014.
Developed by postgraduate students following the Satellite Systems Engineering Programme at the French South African Technology Institute (F’SATI), TshepisoSAT is proving its worth in space.
It has survived the harsh radiation from the sun, extreme temperature fluctuations, a strong solar storm and two close encounters with defunct Russian satellites.
The nanosatellite has been orbiting Earth up to 15 times a day at an altitude of 600km and during the past few months has transmitted a series of images of South Africa.
HISTORY: The launch of the nanosatellite was viewed by hundreds of delegates who attended the launch event in 2013
Its progress was recently lauded at the 2nd International African Cubesat Workshop 2014, which was hosted by F’SATI.
Deputy Vice-Chancellor Academic at CPUT, Prof Anthony Staak, says the University is extremely proud of this achievement.
“It’s certainly a tribute to Rob (Director of F’SATI) and his team, the students, the staff and many others who contributed to our satellite engineering programme,” says Staak.
Humbulani Mdau, Chief Director: Space Science and Technology at the Department of Science and Technology, says TshepisoSAT has put the country and the continent on the global map.
The team at F’SATI is also happy with the progress made.
Engineer Leon Steenkamp, who is monitoring the nanosatellite’s daily movements from the ground station at the Bellville Campus, says they are currently concentrating all their effort on deploying the nanosatellite’s main antenna that is connected to the high-frequency radio beacon.
This high-frequency radio beacon will be used to study the propagation of radio waves through the ionosphere, providing valuable space weather data to the South African National Space Agency Space Science Directorate.
SPACE: One of the images taken by TshepisoSAT
For up to date information on TshepisoSAT’s activities, visit F'SATI's website.
*The nanosatellite was developed in collaboration with South African National Space Agency and with funding from the Department of Science and Technology, the National Research Foundation and CPUT.
Written by Candes Keating
Email: keatingc@cput.ac.za
Provides coverage for the Engineering and Applied Sciences Faculties; the Bellville and Wellington Campuses, and research and innovation news.
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