Irokhethi Exubile Eyenziwe Yithimba Lase-UKZN Iqophe Umlando e-Afrika

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Ukundiza kokuqala kwerokhethi yase-UKZN i-Phoenix obekubhekwe ngamehlo abomvu e-Denel Overberg Test Range eNtshonalanga Kapa kube yimpumelelo enkulu nengqophamlando.

Lokhu kundiza okube yimpumelelo kwenzeke mhla wesi-8 kuMbasa ngenkathi isimo sezulu sivuma ukuthi kungandizeka, kwabe i-Phoenix-1B Mk IIr indizela emajukujukwini lapho ingekho enye yase-Afrika eyake yafinyelela khona ebangeni elingama-10.3km.

‘Ithimba likuthakasele ukubona ukusebenza kanzima kwabo kuthela izithelo ezinhle,’ kusho uDkt Jean Pitot, umholi we-Aerospace Systems Research Group (i-ASReG) e-UKZN.

I-Phoenix Hybrid Rocket Programme ye- ASReG wuhlelo lwamakhono olugxile ekwakheni nasekuhloleni isiphuphutheki.

‘Emhlabeni wonke ukundizisa amarokhethi kuyaqhubeka nokuba neqhaza elimqoka ocwaningweni lwemikhakha ehlukene yesayensi, okukhona ibhayothekhnoloji, i-astrofizksi, i-material science nemithiyoroloji, phakathi kweminye,’ kuchaza umholi wezifundo kwa-mechanical engineering e-UKZN uSolwazi Michael Brooks. ‘Enza umsebenzi omkhulu wokuhlola ubuchwepheshe bezinto zasemkhathini okuphathelene nokundiza ezimbonini ezizimele.’

Irokhethi i-Phoenix-Mk IIr ehlolwe ngempumelelo yenziwe njengengosi yocwaningo lobuchwepheshe.

Ngemva kokusayina isendlalelo sokwethulwa kwamaphiko, okuyisiko ekucwaningeni ngamarokhethi, ithimba libe seliya endlini enobuxhakaxhaka bokuyilawula, lapho kuqale khona ukubala.

Ngo-4.47 ntambama i-Mk IIr isukile, ithimba lijabule kakhulu ngenkathi irokhethi ifinyelela emkhathini ku-17.9km, yaqopha irekhodi elisha.

U-Pitot uthe: ‘Lerokhethi i-Mk IIr inamandla idlula eyokuqala i-Mk I kanti ikhombisa izindlela ezingabizi nezokwakha, zihambisana nobuchwepheshe bokwakha ophephela okusezingeni eliphezulu.’

UBrooks ubonge ukuxhaswa okukhulu ngemali bexhashwa nguMnyango WeSayensi neZokuqamba kulomsebenzi.

‘Lokhukuxhaswa kwenze ukuthi kuthuthukiswe ubuchwepheshe bemikhakha yobunjiniyela bokundizisa irokhethi, ukwakhiwa kwesiphuphutheki nokwakhiwa kwezinto zokundiza kanjalo nokuthuthukiswa kwamakhono anqabile. Kwenze kwaba nokubambisana okungavamile Phakathi kweNyuvesi nemboni,’ kusho yena.

Ithimba le-ASReG belinabafundi abayi-18 abenza iziqu ezilandela ezokuqala nezenza iziqu zokuqala ezibambe iqhaza empumelelweni yokundiza ngocwaningo lwazo. Lababafundi bangumkhiqizo wohlelo lokuvundulula amakhono lwe-ASReG oluxhaswe ngumnyango.

Unjiniyela omkhulu emsebenzini we-Phoenix bekungumfundi wezobudokotela uMnu Kai Broughton, owaklonyeliswa ngendondo ehlonishwayo ye-Engineering Council of South Africa (i-ECSA) nowaphasa ngamalengiso i-MSc in Mechanical Engineering noseke waphuma kwi-Top 10 Under 30s ye-African Space Industry eklonyeliswa yiziko lezindaba i-Space in Africa.

IDini neNhloko yeSikole SezobuNjiniyela e-UKZN uSolwazi Glen Bright ithe: ‘Lokhukundiza kuwukugcwaliseka kokuxhaswa yi-DSI Space Propulsion Programmme ngaphansi komkhakha wezokugabisa ngezobuchwepheshe. Sijabule kakhulu ngomphumela futhi siyaziqhenya ngomsebenzi omuhle wabafundi bethu, ukuzinikela nokuzimisela ngalempumelelo.’

UMqondisi Omkhulu we-Space Science and Technology e-DSI uMnu Humbulani Mudau uthe: ‘Ngumsebenzi omuhle, thimba le-ASReg! Niphule irekhodi lase-Afrika. I-DSI, egameni likaHulumeni, iyaziqhenya ngomsebenzi wenu omuhle. Halala!’

IPhini LeSekelashansela neNhloko yeKolishi Lezolimo, Ezobunjiniyela nezeSayensi uSolwazi Albert Modi uvumelane naye wathi: ‘Halala baf’wethu! Nenze i-UKZN yaziwa, siyaziqhenya!’

UPitot uthe: ‘Lokhukundiza kuyisiphetho somsebenzi wamalungiselelo ezinyanga eziningi. Kudingeke sithuthe ithimba lonke, ingosi yokusuka, amarokhethi amabili, izinsimbi zokuchupha, amakhompyutha nakho konke okuhambisana nakho okuyi-1 700km ezweni lonke. Bekungumsebenzi omkhulu kodwa uthele izithelo.’

Ukuthola eminye imininingwane, ungathinta: uDkt Jean Pitot ku: pitot@ukzn.ac.za; noma ushayele ucingo ku: 072 282 9457.

Amagama: nguSally Frost

Izithombe: Zithunyelwe