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<P class=MsoNormal style="MARGIN: 0cm 0cm 0pt"><SPAN>STOP PRESS : LAUNCH AS BEEN
DELAYED</SPAN></P>
<P class=MsoNormal style="MARGIN: 0cm 0cm 0pt"><SPAN><FONT face=Verdana><SPAN
lang=en-za><B><FONT face=Arial>Due to high winds at the launch site and some
telemetry issues on the rocket the launch has been delayed for 24 hours
and will now take place on 16 September at around 15:45
UTC.</FONT></B></SPAN></FONT></SPAN></P></FONT></SPAN>
<P class=MsoNormal style="MARGIN: 0cm 0cm 0pt"><SPAN><FONT face=Verdana><IMG
height=235 src="http://www.sunspace.co.za/images/sumbandilaBlack.JPG"
width=187><IMG src="http://www.space.gov.za/pics/pathfinder.jpg"><IMG height=232
src="http://www.amsatsa.org.za/Baikonur%20-%20Hendrik%20Burger%20web.jpg"
width=315 border=0></FONT></SPAN></P>
<P class=MsoNormal style="MARGIN: 0cm 0cm 0pt"><SPAN><FONT face=Verdana><SPAN
lang=en-za><B><FONT face=Arial></FONT></B></SPAN></FONT></SPAN> </P>
<P class=MsoNormal style="MARGIN: 0cm 0cm 0pt"><SPAN><FONT face=Arial><SPAN
lang=en-za><STRONG></STRONG></SPAN></FONT></SPAN> </P>
<P class=MsoNormal style="MARGIN: 0cm 0cm 0pt"><SPAN><FONT face=Verdana>The
launch of SumbandilaSat is on track for 15 September 2009. In an interview with
SA AMSAT Johan Erasmus, SunSpace systems engineer, speaking from the launch site
in Kazakhstan, said that the satellite had travelled well and that all systems
performed according to specification during the testing phase after the
satellite was unpacked at the clean room at the Baikonur launch facility in
Kazakhstan. He said that the amateur payload performed well. The beacon, parrot
repeater and transponder were tested from a distance and RF levels measured. We
were delighted with the results.</FONT></SPAN></P><FONT
face=Verdana><SPAN> </SPAN> </FONT>
<P class=MsoNormal style="MARGIN: 0cm 0cm 0pt"><SPAN><FONT face=Verdana>The
butane propulsion system tank was filled and the batteries charged. On Wednesday
2 September SumbandilaSat was integrated with the launch platform. The main
payload, a Russian governmental satellite has arrived in Baikonur for
integrating. The launch platform is expected to be transported to the actual
launch facility and integrated with the rocket during the coming week. All
looks good for a 15 September launch, Johan Erasmus
said.</FONT></SPAN></P><FONT face=Verdana><SPAN> </SPAN> </FONT>
<P class=MsoNormal style="MARGIN: 0cm 0cm 0pt"><SPAN><FONT face=Verdana>Listen
to the interview on </FONT><A href="http://www.amsatsa.org.za/"><FONT
face=Verdana color=#800080>www.amsatsa.org.za</FONT></A><FONT
face="Times New Roman"><SPAN> </SPAN></FONT></SPAN></P>
<P class=MsoNormal style="MARGIN: 0cm 0cm 0pt"><SPAN><FONT
face=Verdana><SPAN></SPAN></FONT></SPAN> </P><SPAN><FONT
face=Verdana><SPAN>
<P align=justify><SPAN class=news>SumbandilaSat was designed and completed in
record time. The project was awarded to SunSpace in conjunction with the
University of Stellenbosch by the South African Department of Science and
Technology. </SPAN></P>
<P class=news align=justify>The main payload a Multi-spectral imager which has a
6.25m Ground Sampling Distance (GSD) with 6 spectral bands and is supported by
an on-board storage of 6 Gigabyte, with a redundant 18 Gigabyte spare. </P>
<P class=news align=justify>Sumbandilasat is the first satellite in the SunSpace
2nd generation Small Satellite Technology Product Family. It is suitable for
satellites from 80kg to more than 400kg for high performance earth observation,
space science and LEO communication payloads.</P>
<P align=justify></P>
<P class=boldhead align=justify>Experimental payloads</P>
<P class=news align=justify>The satellite also includes a number of experimental
payloads including:<BR><BR> SA AMSAT 2m/70cm amateur radio transponder and
digitalker. This payload will find not only use by the amateur radio fraternity
but also has a large educational aspect of bringing space science into the class
room.</P>
<P class=news align=justify> Stellenbosch University<BR> Architectural
radiation experiment for commercial off the shelf devices (ARECOTS)<BR> Nelson
Mandela Metropolitan University<BR> A forced vibrating string experiment <BR>
University of KwaZulu-Natal <BR> Very low frequency (VLF) radio experiment </P>
<P class=news align=justify>The satellite was designed for the Shtil launch
vehicle from a sub-marine. The demanding vibration envelope makes it suitable
for launch as a piggyback on PSLV, Ariane 5 or DNEPR</P>
<P class=news align=justify><BR><SPAN class=boldhead>Major benefit for South
Africa</SPAN></P>
<P class=news align=justify>For the Department of Science and Technology (DST)
the mission of the project was the development and growth of people and
institutions, providing satellite data for applications addressing the needs of
society and understanding the modalities of a small satellite programme in order
to inform the space policy process in South Africa. </P>
<P align=justify></P>
<P align=center><IMG height=155 hspace=10
src="http://www.sunspace.co.za/images/SumbandilaImage.gif" width=211 align=right
vspace=4 border=3><BR><BR><EM><BR></EM><SPAN class=news><EM><FONT
color=#9999cc><STRONG>Typical image that will <BR>be available from
<BR>SumbandilaSat</STRONG></FONT></EM></SPAN></P>
<P align=center> </P>
<P align=left><EM><BR></EM><BR><SPAN class=boldhead>Educational
Challenge</SPAN></P>
<P class=news align=justify>Projects like SumbandilaSat have already important
spin-offs with several educational opportunities at various levels from learners
at school to Post Graduate students at University including satellite engineers
at Stellenbosch University.</P>
<P class=news align=justify>In order to train new satellite engineers, SunSpace
designed a Satellite Development Toolkit providing three main areas of training.
Engineers are exposed to hands-on system level building of complete satellites
in their own laboratory. The training is intertwined with a specific satellite
mission that includes in-orbit commissioning and operational training. The third
component is specialised satellite engineering training including detail design
of components and sub systems.</P>
<P class=news align=justify>A steady stream of 12 students, 10 Master Degree
students and 2 PhD students plus a post doctorate position is fully funded. In
addition 9 internships are receiving their training on the Satellite Development
Toolkit for the building of a satellite knowledge base and capacity in industry.
</P>
<P class=news align=center><FONT color=#9999cc><EM><STRONG>SumbandilaSat derived
its name from the <BR>Venda word which freely translated means
<BR>Pathfinder</STRONG></EM></FONT></P>
<P class=news align=left><STRONG><EM>Fonte:<FONT size=2> SumbandilaSat Home Page
e SOUTHERN AFRICAN AMATEUR RADIO SATELLITE ASSOCIATION (SA AMSAT)</FONT></P>
<P class=news align=left></EM><FONT color=#ffffff size=5>OUTHERN AFRICAN AMATEUR
RADIO </FONT></STRONG></P></SPAN></FONT></SPAN></BODY></HTML>