UKZN ASRI Engineer Appointed to SA Council for Space Affairs

BY: .

High-flying engineer, Dr Sarisha Harrylal of the University of KwaZulu-Natal’s (UKZN) Aerospace Systems Research Institute (ASRI), has been appointed as a member of the SA Council for Space Affairs (SACSA).

The appointment was made by the Minister of Trade, Industry and Competition, Mr Parks Tau, for the term 2026 to 2029. 

It marks a milestone achievement, not only for Harrylal but also for UKZN’s ASRI whose profile has grown considerably over the past few years through its work on liquid and hybrid rocket propulsion systems.

SACSA, South Africa’s regulatory authority for space affairs, is tasked with implementing the country’s space policy. In practice, this means that SACSA’s members advise the Minister on matters that influence space affairs, supervise and implement matters arising from international conventions, treaties and agreements related to the common use of space, and, importantly, issue licences for space operations, including launch activities.

ASRI Director Professor Michael Brooks said ASRI was enormously proud of Harrylal’s appointment to the SACSA council. “Dr Harrylal will carry significant responsibilities as one of the council’s 14 members, not least because the space regulatory environment is changing rapidly as countries throughout the world, including South Africa, ramp up their space engineering work,” said Brooks. “The South African satellite component manufacturing industry is going from strength to strength, and the government is placing increasing emphasis on the importance of developing an indigenous launch capability.

“ASRI is leading the way in this regard, however much work remains to be done to draft and enact the legislation that can facilitate commercially viable launches from South Africa. The new SACSA council will have its work cut out as it charts the way forward for regulatory processes that both protect the space industry as well as encourage commercial activity in a responsible manner,” he said.

Harrylal holds BScEng and MScEng degrees in Mechanical Engineering from UKZN, as well as an MBChB degree from UKZN’s Nelson R Mandela School of Medicine. She will continue as a full-time engineer with ASRI where she specialises in rocket flight dynamics, stability and trajectory simulation. Always eager to get stuck into the practical side of rocketry, she participates regularly in vehicle flight tests conducted by the institute both in South Africa and overseas.

Visit: the SACSA website and Home - Aerospace Systems Research Institute (ASRI) for more information.

Words: Sejal Desai

Photograph: Supplied