Shaba North (also mentioned as Kapani Tonneo) [1] [2] was the launch site of the first rockets launched by Orbital Transport und Raketen AktienGesellschaft, or Orbital Forwarding Company in English ("OTRAG"). [3] [4] [5]
It is located at the edge of a mesa in Shaba (now Katanga province), the Democratic Republic of Congo. [6] In 1976 Luvua Airport was built to supply the site. [7] [8] [9]
In 1977 and in 1978 three test flights of OTRAG rockets were launched from Shaba North. [1] [10]
In 1979 OTRAG stopped launching rockets from Shaba North for political reasons. [2] Its launching activities were later moved to Sabha, Libya.
Three test flights were launched from Shaba North. [1]
Date | OTRAG version | Apogee | Details |
---|---|---|---|
1977 May 18 | 4x9m | 15 km | Four-module test vehicle, 6 m long; propulsion test |
1978 May 19 | 4x9m | 30 km | Four-module test vehicle, 6 m long; high altitude night test |
1978 Jun 5 | 4x15m | 0 | Lost control and crashed in seconds |
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