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