SA Rocketry Camp 2006

On the last day we visited the satellite testing and integration facilities at the Institute for Satellite and Software Applications, where SA's new Sumbandila satellite was being tested.

We were shown around the Clean Room, (below left) - all dressed up to protect the sensitive equipment from dirt and other particles we might have carried in.

Above right shows the environmental test chamber, which simulates the harsh conditions of the space environment so the satellite's robustness can be tested.

There were two satellites for us to see there - Greensat (below left), an old 1990's satellite that never flew, and Sumbandilasat (below right), the new one that will be launched in 2007. It was very exciting to see real satellite engineers at work!