Monday, March 8 was a good day for UKZN’s Aerospace Systems Research Group (ASReG).

After two failed attempts in 2014 and 2019, ASReG managed to launch a hybrid sounding rocket, Phoenix-1B Mark IIr, just shy of 18 kilometres into the earth’s atmosphere at twice the speed of sound.

The successful launch, which took place around 200km outside of Cape Town, also set a new altitude record in Africa. The previous hybrid launch record was 10,3km.

ASReG is leading the pack in applied rocket propulsion programmes.

Per Engineering News:

Funded by the Department of Science and Innovation (DSI), the research group was founded in 2009 and has focused on developing hybrid rockets. The rockets use a mix of liquid and solid propellants, to launch sounding equipment into space.

Sounding rockets are different from satellites in that they orbit around Earth carrying “experimental payloads for research purposes”.

Videos captured the launch from three different angles:

Minister of Higher Education, Science and Innovation, Blade Nzimande, via Business Insider SA called the launch a “historic moment for South African space science”.

“This is a game-changer for South African space science and positions the country to take the lead on the continent in the development of rocket launch capabilities,” said Nzimande.

The inherent safety of hybrid rocket propulsion offers some unique advantages compared to solid and liquid propellant rocket engines.

This makes it especially attractive for space tourism, which is an idea that has been gaining in popularity with SpaceX setting up civilian missions into orbit, and a space hotel in the works.

[sources:engineeringnews&businsidersa]