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| Propulsion unit |
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“Of course, all agencies experience failures at some time or another – there is always a risk when you’re working with delicate equipment and small tolerances – but we are confident that we have done everything we can to achieve a successful orbit insertion. Once the craft is up there, we’ll be able to tweak its orbit with tiny, carefully calculated pulses from the onboard propulsion system – basically, a tank of butane with a valve and a nozzle – to ensure that it remains in place for at least the three-year lifespan of the project.”
The SunSpace team have enjoyed “excellent” co-operation from the Russians, according to Burger. “They’re friendly and helpful, and it’s obvious they want this to succeed just as much as we do.”
Exciting though it is, the new satellite is by no means the sole preoccupation of the SunSpace team. Says Burger: “We’re technical advisors to the South African government, which is collaborating with other countries on an African Resource Management (ARM) constellation of satellites that would include a 240 kg satellite, and perhaps an even bigger one. There are many facets to this work... expanding the benefits of space across the African continent, capacity-building, education, and much more. We’re taking the South African ‘can do’ mindset to a different level.”
Burger says their “baby” had to be built tough to withstand the rigours of launch, with its attendant vibration and formidable g-forces – not to mention the dramatic variations in temperature.
“In anticipation of this, we’ve designed and engineered the satellite with sufficient margin, duplicated critical circuits – for example, power and communications – and placed the various components in the most logical spots. Micrometeoroid or space junk impacts? There’s no way we can prevent that from happening. It’s just a question of odds.”
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