Shaba North

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]

Shaba North

Kapani Tonneo
Location within Democratic Republic of the Congo
Formation	1976
Type	rocket launch site
Coordinates	7.9239844°S 28.5360758°E / -7.9239844; 28.5360758
Owner	OTRAG

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.

Launches

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

Nearest locations

• Luvua Airport
• Kalemie