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CPUT Blogs is administered by the Web Office. The service is available to all staff members and departments who wish to blog about their academic and research initiatives.

What our bloggers have recently said...

  • UK Space Agency International Partnership Programme (IPP) Scholarships

    • UK Space Agency International Partnership Programme (IPP) Scholarships for Doctoral studies at the University of Strathclyde, Glasgow, Scotland   The IPP is a programme run by the UK Space Agency that focuses strongly on using the UK space sector’s research and innovation strengths to deliver a sustainable economic or societal benefit to emerging and developing economies around ...more
  • 2017: F’SATI celebrates new MSc graduates

    •   On July 20 th 2017, F’SATI proudly graduated 6 new MSc students from the CPUT Satellite Programme.           The inaugurated graduates were: Ms Cassandra Daviane Nsumbu Lwabanji Tony Lumbwe Ms Fenni Magano Tweetheni Shidhika Mr Gutembert Nganpet Nzeugaing Mr Nganyang Paul Bayendang Mr Etnard Wynand Louw Mr Motlokwe Maleka (in absentia)   The assembly was also graced by ...more
  • Autumn graduation 2016 and our 1st Doctorate!

    • At the Autumn Graduation ceremony, 7 students in the CPUT Satellite Programme graduated.  We are also very proud of our first Doctorate, Dr Ifriky Tadadjeu-Sokeng. Kananelo Mafata (NDipl MEng) Nadine de Lille (NDipl Mech Eng) Erian Barnard (NDipl Elec Eng) Maahir Rahman (BTech Elec Eng) Ben Dixon (MTech Elec Eng) Khader Mananga (MTech Elec Eng) Ifriky Tadadjeu-Sokeng (DTech Elec Eng)   New graduates! (from ...more
  • CPUT and Department of Environmental Affairs formalise collaboration in Maritime

    • CPUT concluded a Memorandum of Understanding with DEA for, amongst other, collaboration in research and technology innovation towards Marine Protection and Governance and in support of Operation ...more
  • CPUT signs MoU with Technical University of Kenya

    • F’SATI spearheaded an agreement with TU-K to promote collaboration between the institutions in the field of space science, technology, engineering and ...more
  • F'SATI hosts 3rd IACW

    • F’SATI and the University of Stellenbosch co-hosted the 3rd International African CubeSat Workshop from 24 to 26 February 2016 at Erinvale Hotel and Spa. The theme of the workshop was Cubes for Africa, with the following streams: Emerging and Disruptive Technologies, Value Proposition and Business Opportunities, Human Capacity Development, Applications for Sustainability and Prosperity, STEM ...more
  • Vacancies at F'SATI

    •     The Africa Space Innovation Centre (ASIC) at the French South African Institute of Technology (F'SATI) currently has the following vacancies:   Chief Engineer   Senior Engineer   Development Engineer     See each link for more information on the relevant positions.     Southern Africa and Maputo ...more
  • Certificate in Cyber Security

    •     "Cyber Security is not just about technology. It’s more about people and managing risks in cyber space." "Spy Cables expose South Africa's alarming security failings" These are just some of the headings around the globe today as spy documents are released on sites such as www.aljazeera.com and www.theguardian.com/uk The documents highlight (amongst others) the current lack of adequate ...more
  • Training in cyber security

    •       “Ex-Israeli agents' threatened cyber attack on South Africa” “Spy Cables expose South Africa's alarming security failings” These are just some of the headings around the globe today as spy documents are released on sites such as www.aljazeera.com and www.theguardian.com/uk The documents highlight (amongst others) the current lack of adequate cyber security policies and effective security governance frameworks as ...more
  • Certificate in Cyber Security - Short course

    •       Are you interested in cyber security? This short course might be for you!   For more information and to register for the course.   Offered in partnership between the Cape Peninsula University of Technology (CPUT), French South African Institute of Technology (F’SATI), CS Interactive Training and Boshoff Industries.   Here is what ITWEB had to say.   Content include essential computer systems (networks, ...more
  • Image - 25 July 2014

    •       Image taken morning of 25 July 2014, showing southern Africa with cold front. Maputo Bay is visible on right.   Southern Africa and Maputo ...more
  • ISILaunch07 CubeSat Launch support

    •       On the 19th of June 2014, ISILaunch's ISILaunch07 mission lifted-off aboard a DNEPR launch vehicle from Yasny, Russia. The ISILaunch part of launch consisted of 22 spacecraft. The mission made use of ISIS's QuadPack dispensers and iMDC sequencer deployment system. Shortly after launch and separation it was confirmed that all deployer doors had opened. The F'SATI ...more
  • ZACUBE-1 Close Approach Notification - 29 June 2014

    •       Over the weekend ZACUBE-1 (TshepisoSat) had close approach with another space object. In this case it was a piece of Fengyun 1C debris. The debris was created by a Chinese anti-satellite missile test that was conducted on January 11, 2007. The satellite is still in good shape after the predicted conjunction.       ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------ Sent: 27 June 2014 06:17 ...more
  • SA AMSAT Space Symposium 2014

    •       We were invited to give a mission update at the SA AMSAT's Space Symposium on Saturday (24 May 2014) at the Innovation Hub in Pretoria. The event was well attended and even had representatives from SANSA in attendance. Presentations on other CubeSats included Denel Dynamics' DynaCube, FUNcube-1 and SA AMSAT's own KLETSkous project. The paper presented ...more
  • Update time! No mumbo jumbo, just pictures.

    •       The two pictures below seemed nice enough to write a post about, so here goes. Although pictures of the sun are nice, the earth makes a much better subject. So far we have only been lucky enough to snap shots of either the blackness of space, the sun or full frame shots of the earth's surface. ...more
  • ZACUBE-1 Close Approach Notifications

    •       Week nine of the year will go down as quite an eventful week for ZACUBE-1 (TshepisoSat), literally dodging two bullets involving speeds in the kilometres per second range. The first close approach notification arrived the morning of 25 February 2014 from the United States Joint Space Operations Center (JSpOC) through the The South African National Space ...more
  • Some more images from TshepisoSat (ZACUBE-1)

    •       Since the last image was taken by ZACUBE-1 we have managed to squeeze in time to capture three more. Unfortunately none of these are quite as spectacular as the previous one. Lense flare   In the first photograph the camera is almost completely blinded by lens flare. The sun   This image shows the sun as a black dot. This is ...more
  • ZACUBE-1 (TshepisoSat) update - OBC time and beacon decoder

    •       An updated version of the beacon decoder application is available. Two graphs have been added to give a visual representation of what the on-board computer (OBC) temperature and battery bus voltage are doing over the pass. ZACUBE-1 (TshepisoSat) beacon decoder V0.4   This morning the OBC time was also set to the current UTC time. Previously it was ...more
  • South Africa on a clear day, as seen by TshepisoSat!

    •       What better way to celebrate nearly two months on orbit than with the first image captured by TshepisoSat that shows the earth from space. What makes the image even more special is that, as mentioned before, the satellite is not stabilised in three-axes. Images are captured without any control of where the camera is pointing ...more
  • ZACUBE-1 (TshepisoSat) Two-line element set Update

    •       Early this morning Celestrak's two-line element (TLE) file for CubeSats was updated to include our satellite name, with the reference to the launch object number being removed. Up to now the TLE set used to track ZACUBE-1 (TshepisoSat) only contained the generic heading DNEPR OBJECT B. TLE on 2014-01-14   As the objects from a launch ...more
  • First image captured by ZACUBE-1 (TshepisoSat) from space

    •       Earlier this week a quick checkout of the payload board was done. The sub-system board was powered on and a few telemetry values were requested with all response values indicating good health. The board was successfully switched off again. On the morning of 14 December the satellite was again commanded to switch on the payload board ...more
  • Commemorative Top Plate

    •       The picture below shows the top covering plate of the satellite. It attaches to the UHF/VHF telemetry and telecommand antenna from ISIS and also covers the HF antenna and deployment mechanism. It is the only facet of the satellite not covered by a solar panel. ZACUBE-1 Commemorative top plate   The top plate of the satellite was ...more
  • ZACUBE-1 Update (TshepisoSat)

    •     The last two weeks have been quite busy, with a few very late nights, but here is a quick update regarding our little one-unit CubeSat launched almost exactly two weeks ago. After separation ZACUBE-1 switched on and waited under a antenna deployment timer for 30 minutes, after which it deployed its UHF and VHF antennas used ...more
  • A new Website!

    • A new website just in time for the launch of ...more
  • First Year Students, we want to hear from you

    • BUSSE-STUDENT-SURVEY-2Download Have your say by completing the BUSSE survey. Make your voice count. Take the Survey ...more
  • 3RD ANNUAL FUNDANI CHED STUDENT LEARNING UNIT 12 November 2020 9:00 – 15:30

    • Theme: Vulnerabilities, Disruptions and Possibilities for the Future Beyond Covid-19 Call for Abstracts Every art and every inquiry, and similarly every action and pursuit, is thought to aim at some good; and for this reason the good has rightly been declared to be that at which all things aim – Aristotle, Nicomachean Ethics, Book I. Never before, in ...more
  • Learn more about Student VPN for Blackboard

    • CPUT will be introducing a new VPN solution (Global Protect VPN) which will replace the current student data allocations, provided by the university. The new VPN solution will allow students to securely access CPUT network resources, at no cost, when off campus. This solution has been successfully implemented within universities both locally and internationally with ...more
  • Resources

    • Student Learning Brochure Blackboard Student Guide Student Learning Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs) Academic Survival Kit - ...more
  • Student Learning Unit goes ONLINE...

    • As the countdown begins to the 1 June 2020 start, the Student Learning Unit has been preparing for an online roll-out. We have developed a few guidelines to help you access our services, hopefully this will help you navigate your way through this new territory. If you wish to access information a Frequently ...more
  • Student partnerships are the future

    • ENGAGING: Dr Thulani Mkhize (green dress), a Senior Lecturer in English Studies at the University of KwaZulu-Natal, as well as staff members and students of Fundani’s Student Learning Unit who organised the Student Learning/Student Feedback Symposium. In order for student partnerships to be successful, South African universities have to embark on listening campaigns, opening up dialogue ...more