By Lebone Rodah Mosima
South African aerospace firm Mura Space and the Aerospace Systems Research Institute (ASRI) at the University of KwaZulu-Natal (UKZN) have signed an “exclusive agreement” to commercialise the country’s Sounding Rocket Launch Facility at the Overberg Test Range in the Western Cape.
According to UKZN, the partnership will allow for suborbital test launches from the site using existing and mobile launch infrastructure, with operations conducted under strict safety and regulatory oversight.
The agreement marks a significant step in efforts to position South Africa as a hub for aerospace research and investment, according to both parties.
The organisations said the collaboration would help advance local research, support skills development, and promote science and engineering among young South Africans, while also facilitating international technology transfer.
Mura Space said it has scheduled a series of suborbital rocket launches beginning in 2026, including missions targeting the internationally recognised Kármán line — the 100-kilometre boundary marking the edge of space. The launches are expected to be historic firsts for the African continent.
ASRI Director, Professor Michael Brooks, said the collaboration with Mura Space represented a significant milestone in delivering indigenously developed, sovereign access to space for South Africa and the continent.
“By combining our advanced engineering expertise, in-house manufacturing capabilities, and 16 years of innovation with Mura’s commercial vision for launch, we are opening new frontiers for local research, skills development, and global technology exchange. We are excited about a launch ecosystem that will empower the next generation and position Africa as a key player in the global aerospace sector,” said Brooks.
Mura Space Chief Executive Frederik de Ridder said the partnership with ASRI creates new opportunities for local research and education. “We hope some of these launches will offer new opportunities for select South African micro-gravity research payloads as well as contribute positively to local educational and human capital development programmes in ways previously not possible.”
De Ridder added that the growth of suborbital activity forms the foundation for eventual orbital launch capabilities. “South Africa is walking, and we are excited about working with key space stakeholders to help grow the momentum towards a historic first commercial orbital attempt from African soil,” he said.
The activities will be carried out under the newly established AfriRoC (African Rocketry Challenge) initiative, subject to regulatory and safety approvals. Both Mura Space and ASRI said they are independently committed to developing a credible, safe, and entrepreneurial launch ecosystem that aligns with South Africa’s ambitions to achieve sovereign orbital launch capability.
Mura Space, a privately funded South African company, focuses on commercial investments and partnerships in the aerospace and launch sectors. It is conducting a technical feasibility study and market assessment for the Mura Spaceport, a proposed privately funded, multi-user facility designed to attract international small and medium orbital launchers by leveraging southern Africa’s favourable geography.
The Aerospace Systems Research Institute, based at UKZN, leads South Africa’s efforts to build indigenous space-launch capacity. Supported by the Department of Science, Technology and Innovation and the university, ASRI has spent more than two decades designing and testing advanced aerospace systems, including liquid and hybrid rocket engines, turbomachinery, green propellants and in-space thrusters.
The institute operates an advanced manufacturing facility equipped with state-of-the-art machinery and provides consulting and product development services globally. Its research and engineering teams have been instrumental in positioning South Africa as one of the few African nations developing home-grown launch capabilities.
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