PORTFOLIO COMMITTEE ON TRADE AND INDUSTRY Briefing by SunSpace

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PORTFOLIO COMMITTEE ON TRADE AND
INDUSTRYBriefing by SunSpace

• Bart Cilliers Ron Olivier
• 1 September 2009

www.sunspace.co.za
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Objectives

• Brief overview of satellites
• Current future industry developments
• Our role in local and international space
  industry
• Sumbandilasat what is it and what is it good
  for?
• International space treaties

www.sunspace.co.za
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Satellites overview

• Geostationary satellites GEO
• Main suppliers Thales Alenia Space (Fr), EADS
  Astrium (Fr), Lockheed Martin (Usa), Ball
  Aerospace (Usa), Boeing (Usa), etc
• Market cap Mainly publicly listed from around 4
  to 100 billion US
• Satellites costs From around 0,25 to 1 billion
  US
• Medium earth orbit satellites MEO
• Main suppliers Same as above few others
• Satellites costs Vary widely according to size
• Low earth orbit satellites LEO
• Main Suppliers SSTL (Eng), SunSpace (RSA),
  Satreci (Kor), Astrotech (Usa), SpaceDev (Usa),
  etc
• Market caps Mainly privately owned from around 4
  to 100 million US
• Satellites costs From around 1 to 250 million
  US according to size

www.sunspace.co.za
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www.sunspace.co.za
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LEO satellite overview

• Large Imaging LEO satellites
• Some examples Pleiades , Spot 5 (All Fr),
  Orbview, Ikonos, Quickbird (all Usa), Ofeq
  (Isr), Kompsat (Kor), Cartosat (Ind).
• Weight 900 to 2850 kg
• Performance 0,41 to 5m GSD (Multispectral)
• Estimated cost 200 to 500 million US
• Small and medium LEO satellites
• Some examples RapidEye (Ger), Nigeriasat -2
  (Eng), Alsat-2 (Fr), DubaiSat (Kor),
  Sumbandilasat (RSA)
• Weight 85 to 230 kg
• Performance 5-6.25m Ground Sampling Distance
  (Multispectral)
• Estimated cost 8 to 50 million US
• Cubesats

www.sunspace.co.za
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Space Industry Developments

• International LEO satellite industry structure
• Countries with space heritage provide in their
  own needs those who require access
• SunSpace is building upon its South African
  heritage with the objective of entering the
  developing world market with further products
• Why small LEO?
• Affordable access to space - existing heritage
• Complex technical challenges without the cost of
  large programs
• Current developments
• Developing world is waking up to small satellite
  possibilities
• Future expectations
• Growing international demand for small satellites
  TACSAT as example

www.sunspace.co.za
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SunSpace our role

• International small satellite industry
• Many countries competing for developing world
  small satellite orders
• SunSpace competing as part of team RSA
• Local space industry
• SunSpace is part of a large number small RSA
  companies that contribute to local space effort
• SunSpace provides both small satellite hardware
  and software as well as expert training for small
  satellite design, development testing and
  operations engineers.
• Government support
• The international competition is won only as a
  national team effort

www.sunspace.co.za
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Sumbandilasat

• What is it?
• 84 kg earth observation satellite with a
  multispectral imaging of 6.25m GSD at 500km. Can
  see the same point in RSA every 3-4 days.
• Pathfinder objective is to increase scientific
  and engineering knowledge in space systems
• Satellite contains some heritage, some newly
  developed systems
• What is it good for?
• Designed and tested for operational use provide
  scientifically useful images if operating as per
  design specifications
• Images will provide further scientific
  information for assessing ground cover,
  agricultural crop analysis, forestry composition
  analysis, water analysis and land use
  applications
• Provide clear indication of progress in RSA
  technical design, manufacturing and operating
  capabilities to the international community
• Signal for high level technical expatriates to
  return to our country

www.sunspace.co.za
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Satellite Control Issues

• GEO (we do not operate there)
• Mandatory requirement for safe removal of
  satellite from orbit.
• Safe removal applies also to the GTO and the
  insertion rockets
• Safe removal mechanisms built into the satellite
  design
• Proof of operation for safe removal mechanisms
  required before launch
• MEO (we do not operate there)
• Removal requirements are not stringent or
  enforced
• No parked orbital slot in relation to terra
  location
• LEO (Yes, we operate here)
• No mandatory control
• Technical expertise required to launch into an
  unoccupied orbit

www.sunspace.co.za
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Other Controls in Space (1)

• Some local controls for space
• Missile Technology Regime NPC (DTI),
• Prohibits and controls the transfer of
  technologies in spacecraft for use in
  intercontinental ballistic missiles
• Wassenaar Arrangement NCACC (DOD),
• Control and tracks specific technologies used in
  spacecraft to prohibit their re-use in
  conventional arms such as other missiles or
  targeting systems
• Council on Space Affairs (DTI), ICASA (DOC)
• Controls the launch of all spacecraft from South
  African soil and South African spacecraft from
  other countries.

www.sunspace.co.za
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Other Controls in Space (2)

• International LEO Orbit Issues
• The UN COPUOS is trying to introduce legislation
  to limit or eliminate LEO space debris, but
  accept that existing debris cannot be removed
  because
• There is too much debris comprised of separation
  hardware and spent rocket final stages and the
  like.
• There is no affordable existing system that could
  be used to remove the existing debris.
• The UN COPUOS accordingly is concentrating on
  promoting the responsible use of space as the
  only practical means to limit or avoid the
  proliferation of space debris. The most important
  items of space debris to be avoided is the
  following
• Since the titanium tanks used for hydrazine do
  not burn up upon re-entry, they have to be
  completely vented (emptied) at end of life to
  avoid contamination when they fall back to earth
  as hydrazine is extremely poisonous.
• The use of nuclear reactors to power satellites
  in LEO orbit are now regarded as irresponsible
  space use in the extreme. Most responsible
  nations will not launch any LEO satellite with a
  nuclear reactor power source. Nuclear power
  sources are the only possibility for outer space
  exploration missions where insufficient solar
  energy is available.

www.sunspace.co.za
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Other Controls in Space (3)

• UN COPUOS treaties
• LEO orbit space bodies are difficult to regulate
  without international cooperation forums such as
  the UN COPUOS
• Access to international markets for satellite
  manufacturers such as ourselves depends on our
  country being seen as a responsible space user
• UN treaties provides internationally recognised
  platform for responsible use by guarding against
  misuse of orbits, launches and provide legal
  cover for when space debris lands on ones soil
• Recommendation on UN treaties
• SunSpace gives its unqualified support to the 2
  UN treaties namely the Liability Convention and
  the Registration Convention under consideration
  and urges Parliament to ratify both!

www.sunspace.co.za
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RSA taking over in Baikonur
www.sunspace.co.za
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Thank you

• Any Questions?

www.sunspace.co.za