Wakanda S1: A Simulation-First Pathway to Reusable Rocket Technology in Nigeria, Proven Through a 3D-Printed Model and Open-Source Digital Twins
Year: 2026
Type: article
Abstract: Reusable boosters have cut the price of reaching low Earth orbit roughly twentyfold, yet no African country flies a reusable rocket. This study asks whether a Nigerian team with two desktop 3D printers and open-source software can build credible evidence toward that goal. The approach is simulation-first: every component is modelled and tested in a digital twin before hardware is bought, and every simulation names the physical test that will confirm it. Wakanda 009, a 600 mm printed model and a 1:48 scale of a proposed small launcher (Wakanda S1), anchors the work. Two independent flight simulators agree on its apogee (192 m) within 0.3 %. A first touchdown study shows that the current version stays upright in only 4 % of landings, which sets a clear design target. The expected outcome is a small, honest, repeatable proof that reuse can be learned, tested and taught from Uyo.
Author: Ogbonna, Kelechi
Language: English
Subfield: Aerospace Engineering
Field: Engineering
Domain: Physical Sciences
Open Access status: green
OpenAlex ID: W7225003694