Further delays for SumbandilaSat launch

The Southern African Amateur Radio Satellite Association (SA AMSAT) website carries a report that the launch of SumbandilaSat has been put back until the end of July.

SumbandilaSat has been waiting over 2 years for a launch.

It carries an Amateur Radio payload comprising:
- a V/U voice FM transponder with an uplink in the 2 metre band and a downlink in the 70cm band.
- a parrot repeater (voice digipeater)
- a voice beacon

The SA AMSAT wesbite says that in early January the Department of Science and Technology signed the SumbandilaSat launch contract with Roscosmos setting the launch date at 25 March 2009.

This date was later postponed till May but the latest is a further postponement till late July.

No reasons have been given. However rumours have it that one of the main payloads is delayed.

SumbandilaSat
http://www.amsatsa.org.za/SZASAT.htm

Southern African Amateur Radio Satellite Association
(SA AMSAT)
http://www.amsatsa.org.za/