A hybrid rocket that was built by the Aerospace Systems Research Group at the University of KwaZulu-Natal (UKZN) has been flown at the Denel Overburg Test Range in the Western Cape.
The Phoenix-1A rocket built by mechanical engineering students was recently unveiled in Durban and was successfully flown last week.
Phoenix-A1 is a project of the Phoenix Hybrid Sounding Rocket Programme, which aims to develop a series of small sub-orbital rockets to fly research payloads into the upper atmosphere for physics research.
By flying the 4.4 metre long prototype in a controlled environment, UKZN researchers were able to gather high-speed video footage of the flight together with radar telemetry that will help them understand the craft's performance and refine its design.
Hybrid rockets are unique in that their fuel is solid but their oxidiser is liquid, and both components are kept apart from each other until combustion occurs in the motor chamber.
They are therefore safer to work with in a university environment than conventional solid rockets in which the propellant is a pre-mixed blend of fuel and oxidiser.
The Phoenix launch was attended by representatives from the Department of Science and Technology and the South African National Space Agency.
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