Denel has launched a new division focused on space engineering. Called Spaceteq, the new business unit was inducted into the International Astronautical Federation (IAF) at the 64th International Astronautical Congress (IAC) held recently in Beijing, China. This follows the incorporation of satellite manufacturer, SunSpace, into the Denel Group in July 2013 in a move which looks to share the highly advanced engineering and technology skills between the combined businesses.
According to Riaz Saloojee, the group chief executive officer of Denel, Spaceteq will strengthen the group’s position as a leader in innovative and advanced aerospace systems and technology. This also aligns with the identification by the Departments of Science and Technology (DST) and Trade and Industry (dti) of satellite production as a high-technology manufacturing niche that South Africa should be pursuing.
The new company forms part of Denel Dynamics which has been exploring opportunities in satellite and space engineering in collaboration with the South African National Space Agency (SANSA) and the DST since 2011. Its general manager, Berthold Alheit, says its first project is to develop a multispectral, high-resolution, earth observation satellite called EO-Sat1 for operation by SANSA by 2017. This satellite will be used in the areas of food security, urban planning and development, safety and security and support for disaster management.
Denel Dynamics attended its first IAC in Cape Town in 2011 after teaming up with the Aerospace Industry Support Initiative (AISI) supported by the dti, and was involved in previous space programmes until 1996. It has a latent space capability, including key staff working for Denel on various programmes, as well as the Houwteq satellite test facility near Grabouw.
The high-end engineers and scientists absorbed by Denel from SunSpace have brought with them capabilities of their own including the SunSat and SumbandilaSat programmes. EO-Sat1 will be based on the legacy inherited from the development of SumbandilaSat.
Spaceteq believes the benefits of a local space industry will be far reaching, as access to, and control over, its own satellites will provide South Africa with advanced surveillance and reconnaissance capabilities, over and above the broader national technological benefit in terms of retaining and developing technology and engineering skills within the country’s borders and inspiring young talent in the much needed fields of maths and science.
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