South Africa joins the Space Race

[Chris Bergin]

http://allafrica.com/stories/200607280794.html

[STS Tony]

Does South Africa have a lot of cash, as in can they become another India or China?

[Chris Bergin]

STS Tony - 29/7/2006  8:38 PM

Does South Africa have a lot of cash, as in can they become another India or China?

I don't think they are even close to the likes of China.

[rsp1202]

Agreed, but they do have diamond, gold and natural resource wealth, a robust military-industrial complex that trades with Israel and many other nations, an excellent polar-launch potential if it's developed and, according to some reports, "the bomb." They're positioning themselves to be a player, though it seems easier these days to develop WMD than a space-launch capacity.

[astrobrian]

I think south Africa would be a great spot for a launch complex. Think abouth it. There is more than enough water surrounding the area to launch in any of a 270 degree area and have a first stage fall into water to be recovered. Even a polar orbit if you launch to the south.  It could quite easily I think gain from that and trading the aforementioned goods and in turn be quite competitive if given the chance

[Benny]

I really doubt that SA hast the financial means to afford a participation in the "Space Race".
At the moment SA does not have enough money to afford the completion of their soccer
stadiums for the World Cup 2010, so that I can not see how they could afford a space race.

[Jim]

astrobrian - 29/7/2006  5:55 PM

I think south Africa would be a great spot for a launch complex. Think abouth it. There is more than enough water surrounding the area to launch in any of a 270 degree area and have a first stage fall into water to be recovered. Even a polar orbit if you launch to the south.  It could quite easily I think gain from that and trading the aforementioned goods and in turn be quite competitive if given the chance

Inclinations would be too high to be commercially competitive