Launch date is now only late July 2009
In early January the Department of Science and Technology signed the SumbandilaSat launch contract with Roscosmos setting the launch date at 25 March 2009. This date was later postponed till May but the latest is a further postponement till late July. No reasons have been given. However rumours have it that one of the main payloads is delayed.
The fact that launch will now take place on a Soyuz launcher at Baikonur as opposed to the previous Shtil from a submarine, ensured that a new Interface Control Document (ICD) had to be issued. This meant that each element of the new ICD had to be check against the previous one and an impact report on the differences had to be compiled. Normally the base plate modifications, various types of vibration, and some electrical issues from the basis of the changes but the ICD is very comprehensive and contains all elements related to on-site safety.