SAASA
The South African Amateur Space Administration (SAASA), also referred to as the South African Amateur Space Association, is the official voice and controlling body for all aspects of non-commercial and non-governmental rocketry in South Africa.
SAASA co-exists under the government-mandated South African National Space Agency (SANSA), which resides under the Department of Science and Technology (DSC), which in turn reports to the Minister of Science and Technology.
SAASA represents and promotes hobby rocketry, model rocketry, sport rocketry, experimental/amateur rocketry as well as applied rocketry to all South Africans, and has the largest established membership component and support infrastructure in South Africa.
SAASA currently exists as a member-based, privately funded organization with the following mandate:
- Promote rocketry in South Africa.
- Promote, advocate and self-regulate all aspects of safety as it pertains to all facets of rocketry.
- Promotion of "Rocketry Body of Knowledge" and further scientific studies.
- Development and promotion of a "free" educational framework.
- Promote rocketry within the constraints of formal laws, regulations and pertinent legal issues.
- Consolidate the use of all forms of non-commercial rocketry in South Africa.
- Foster and promote cooperation and cross-certification with international rocketry organizations.
- Provide third-party indemnity insurance for SAASA members.
SAASA membership is open and was established to support the interests of rocketeers, in South Africa, to ensure the hobby remains safe and legal.
SAASA maintains a database of all registered rocketeers. This database includes information like certification level, which is used to determine which motors may be purchased by the member.
Although SAASA is predominantly focused on rocketry, SAASA in recognition of the need to address the growing use of Unmanned Aerial Vehicles (UAV's), is one of the first organizations world-wide to develop and promote rules and regulations for the "self-regulation of UAV's in South Africa".
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