Ungaba Usosayensi Wezamarokhethi Nge-UKZN!

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I-UKZN inika abafundi abenza iziqu zokuqala ithuba lokufundela ubunjiniyela kwezerokhethi onyakeni wesine wezifundo zabo ngokwenza isifundo esisha i-rocket propulsion.

Lesi sifundo esikhethwayo sithinta izihloko ezifana ne-rocket engine thermodynamics, i-nozzles, i-thurst chamber design, ne-orbital mechanics.

‘Izifundo ezintsha lezi eNingizimu Afrika,’ kusho uMholi weziFundo zobuNjiniyela beMishini e-UKZN, uSolwazi Mike Brooks. ‘I-UKZN kuphela enesifundo se-rocket propulsion ezingeni leziqu zokuqala, kanti abafundi abenza lezi zifundo bathanda ubunjiniyela be-aerospace.’

Umkhakha wezobuNjiniyela bemishini eNyuvesi ikhaya kwiqembu labacwaningi elikhulu kakhulu kwezama-rocket propulsion e-Africa. I-Aerospace Systems Research Group (i-ASReG) yenza umsebenzi oseqophelweni eliphezulu ezindimeni ze-hybrid nezama-liquid rocket engine design, i-aerostructure development, i-launch operations, ne-engine testing.

I-ASReG isanda kuthola izigidi zamarandi eziyi-15 zosizo lwemali eMnyangweni wezeSayensi ngomsebenzi wayo ezinhlelweni ze-SAFFIRE ne-Phoenix.

Uhlelo lwe-SAFFIRE luhlose ukusungula i-commercial liquid rocket engine yokuqala eNingizimu Afrika ezokwenza ama-microsatallites akwazi ukusukela eNingizimu Afrika. Uhlelo i-Phoenix lugxile ukuthuthukisa ama-sub-orbital rockets ekuhloleni ubuchwepheshe, kanti i-ASReG ibukela kwi-‘NewSpace’, okuyiyona eyivulandlela kumarokhethi amasha, angabizi azimele ashintsha indima yokundiza.

‘Eminyakeni eyishumi edlule ama-satellite asenamandla kakhulu kodwa futhi asemancane,’ kusho u-Brooks.

‘Loku kwenze kwaba lula ukwenza amarokhethi amancane nashibhile ukuthi aphokophele emkhathini. Siphila esikhathi esisha sezasemkhathini, kanti sibona ithuba lokukhangisa ngemikhiqizo yaseNingizimu Afrika ingene endimeni, nayo iqale izinhlelo zokundiza zayo nezezwekazi.’

I-ASReG ixhasa abafundi abenza iziqu zokuqala ezingama-25 nasebeneziqu abasebenza kumaphrojekthi aphathelene namarokhethi, okukhona kuzona eze-MScEng nabafundi abenza i-PhD. Amaphrojekthi afaka ucwaningo kweze-propellant pump design, i-rocket engine chambers, i-sounding rocket motor ne-aerostructure design, i-launch operations, nokuthuthukiwa kwezindawo zokuhlola injini.

‘Sekuphele iminyaka eyishumi yaba khona i-ASReG kanti ngokukhula kwayo, ishintshe indlela ubuchwepheshe bokuthuthukisa i-rocket propulision nabantu abakule ndima okungenza ukuthi kungeneke ekundizeni emkhathini eNingizimu Afrika nase-Afrika yonkana,’ kusho uMholi we-ASReG, uDkt Jean Pitot.

‘Siyaziqhenya ngezinto esizizuzile kwezobuchwepheshe kulolu hambo, kanti sijabule kakhulu ngokuthi ikusasa lisiphatheleni. Unyaka wezi-2020 kuzoba ngunyaka omkhulu kwi-ASReG njengoba sihlose ukuhlola okokuqala i-liquid rocket engine eyenziwe ekhaya nokundizisa ama-hybrid sounding rockets amabili e-Denel Overberg Test Range ngasekupheleni konyaka.’ 

Ngale komsebenzi wayo wocwaningo, i-ASReG igxile ekuthuthukiseni onjiniyela basemkhathini. Abafundi abaningi abenza ucwaningo baxhaswe ngabantu abanjengoMnyango wezeSayensi, i-Armscor, ne-South African Space Agency (i-SANSA). Abaqede lezi zifundo bagcine besebenzela izinkampani ezikulo mkhakha ezinjengo-Rheinmetall Denel Munition, i-Denel Dynamics, i-Aerosud, i-Armscor, nezinye izinkampani eziningi zezobuchwepheshe.

Impumelelo ye-ASReG ibe negalelo ohlelweni lobuNjiniyela beMishini, kanti kulo nyaka lo mkhakha uqale ukunika abafundi abenza iziqu zokuqala ithuba lokufundela izifundo zobuNjiniyela berokhethi onyakeni wesine.

Amagama: i-Ndabaonline

Isithombe: ngu-Asok Rajh