SA firm opens Africa’s largest space hardware factory

Somerset West-based spacecraft component maker NewSpace Systems has opened a 5 200sq m manufacturing facility that it claims is the largest commercial space hardware manufacturing plant in Africa.

The purpose-built facility includes a 1 260sq m cleanroom and a 120sq m engineering lab, both designed from the ground up for space manufacturing. Capabilities include thermal and vibration testing zones to simulate space conditions, Helmholtz coil calibration areas for magnetically sensitive hardware and dark rooms for optical testing, with thermal vacuum testing capability to follow.

NewSpace Systems, founded in 2013, specialises in guidance, navigation and control hardware for satellites — products such as sun sensors, magnetometers, GPS receivers and antennas, reaction wheels and magnetorquer rods. It has more recently expanded into RF communications.

The company says its products are now used on more than 2 500 spacecraft, with exports to more than 38 countries. It has offices in the US, UK and New Zealand alongside its South African headquarters.

“Every corner of this cleanroom reflects our commitment to quality, reliability and mission success,” said CEO Tanya Lerm, who was promoted from chief operating officer in mid-2024 when founder James Barrington-Brown moved into a global chairman role.

“From the controlled air environment to the precision our customers demand, every aspect of this facility was engineered to deliver hardware that performs flawlessly in space.”

Growing demand

The expansion is designed to support growing demand from satellite constellation builders, some of which operate fleets of 500 or more spacecraft. All units produced at the facility meet IPC and ECSS (European Cooperation for Space Standardisation) standards.

The opening comes as the African space sector gathers momentum, with the African Space Agency having launched in April 2025 and a growing number of countries on the continent establishing national space programmes. — (c) 2026 NewsCentral Media