CPUT Satellite Programme

CPUT hosts the region’s premier nano-satellite programme, which has developed Africa’s first nano-satellite, ZACUBE-1, and is currently developing what will be the most advanced South African CubeSat to date, ZACube-2.

The Programme is strategically aligned with the National Space Strategy, and is funded as a key human resource development programme by the Department of Science and Technology and the National Research Foundation.

The Programme is hosted by the French South African Institute of Technology and the African Space Innovation Centre.

To date, the satellite programme has graduated more than 60 Master’s students, and has developed a suite of communications products that is being marketed internationally through Clyde Space.

Maritime Domain Awareness

CPUT adopted Operation Phakisa as a key research focus area, specifically towards research and technology innovation for Marine Protection and Governance. CPUT has agreements with both the Department of Science and Technology and the Department of Environmental Affairs for the development of nano-satellite based solutions for Phakisa. ZACube-2 is a pre-cursor mission to a constellation of nano-satellites that will be developed by CPUT and its consortium over the next 4 years.

Africa Space Innovation Centre

ASIC is a vibrant innovation hub where our graduates and engineers develop cutting edge nano-satellite technologies in our new high-tech facilities. Over the past 3 years we have developed a suite of communications products – with proven space heritage on a growing number of missions.  These products span VHF, UHF and S-band for telemetry and payload data communications.

Our key industry partners are:

Clyde Space – distribution
Etse Electronics – production
Stone Three – SDR solutions for maritime domain awareness

French South African Institute of Technology

F’SATI was established at CPUT in 2008 as the second node of the institution in South Africa. F’SATI is a French South African graduate institute for teaching, research and development, located in South Africa.  Its mandate is to contribute to the creation of knowledge and transfer of technology between South Africa and France. The CPUT node was established in 2008.

Linkages

Our linkages include, but are not limited to, the following:

French South African Institute of Technology – www.fsati.org
Cape Peninsula University of Technology – www.cput.ac.za
Department of Science and Technology – www.dst.gov.za
Department of Trade and Industry – www.thedti.gov.za
National Research Foundation – www.nrf.ac.za
South African National Space Agency – www.sansa.org.za
iThemba Laboratory for Accelerator-Based Sciences – www.tlabs.ac.za
EcoleSupérieured’Ingénieurs en Electronique et Electrotechnique – www.esiee.fr
Chambre de Commerce et d’Industrie Paris Ile-de-France – www.cci-paris-idf.fr
CubeSat homepage – www.cubesat.org
ClydeSpace, Scotland (supplier of CubeSat subsystems) – www.clyde.space
Innovative Solutions In Space, Netherlands (supplier of CubeSat subsystems) – www.isispace.nl
Namibia University of Science and Technology – www.nust.na
Electronic Systems Laboratory (SUN) – www.esl.sun.ac.za