Satellites & Spacecraft companies in South Africa
Space Atlas lists 11 organisations in South Africa working in satellites & spacecraft: 6 private companies, 2 startups, 2 academic institutions, 1 government agency. That is 58% of the 19 space organisations in South Africa and 2% of the 597 in this sector worldwide. Most are based in Stellenbosch (5), Cape Town (4), Centurion (1).
Private Company (6)
- Astrofica Technologies · Private Company · Cape Town
Provides space engineering solutions in systems integration, satellite AIT, engineering validation testing and launch campaign management — supporting South Africa's sovereign s…
- CubeSpace · Private Company · Stellenbosch
World-class ADCS and reaction wheel manufacturer for small satellites — decade of flight heritage, supplying to commercial constellations across 33 countries globally.
- Dragonfly Aerospace · Private Company · Stellenbosch
Develops high-performance imaging satellites and payloads for Earth observation — builds the Raptor sub-metre imager and turnkey smallsat solutions for global commercial and gov…
- NewSpace Systems (NSS) · Private Company · Stellenbosch
Multinational spacecraft GNC components manufacturer — supplies reaction wheels, star trackers and magnetorquers to 500+ satellite constellations across 33 countries, ESA-accred…
- SCS Space · Private Company · Stellenbosch
Provides commercial nanosatellite missions and tailored space technology solutions — built nSight-1 nanosatellite, South Africa's longest-running private smallsat mission provider.
- Simera Sense · Private Company · Somerset West
Develops intelligent satellite imaging cameras and optical payloads for Earth observation — xScape cameras have flown on 50+ nanosatellites with sub-metre resolution products in…
Academic Institution (2)
- Electronic Systems Laboratory (ESL), Stellenbosch University · Academic Institution · Stellenbosch
South African university satellite lab — built SUNSAT and now focuses on CubeSat and ADCS research, with ground station and test chambers.
- French South African Institute of Technology (F'SATI) / Africa Space Innovation Centre, Cape Peninsula University of Technology · Academic Institution · Cape Town
South African university space centre at CPUT — builds CubeSats such as ZACube-1 and ZACube-2 and exports CubeSat radio systems.
Startup (2)
- Amaya Space · Startup · Cape Town
CPUT spin-out manufacturing nanosatellites and satellite components — commercialises innovative nanosatellite communications solutions and complete missions with Africa-focused …
- DeltaV Aerospace · Startup · Cape Town
Specialises in design, simulation, AIT and testing of aerospace propulsion and satellite components — develops gas turbines, rocket motors, liquid engines and small launcher sys…
Government Agency (1)
- Denel Spaceteq · Government Agency · Centurion
South African state-owned aerospace company focused on small satellite design, manufacturing and satellite AIT — built and tested several South African government satellites.