STEM revolution lands in Atlantis as 250 learners prep for lift-off with satellite-building programme backed by global industry leaders.
Staff Writer
STEM transformation in townships: Over 250 Atlantis learners begin satellite and coding training through a high-tech education programme.
Focus on inclusion: Girls and disadvantaged learners are being prioritised for entry into high-demand, future-facing industries.
Industry and education synergy: Backed by Atlantis Foundries, ASEZ, MEDO, and the Western Cape government, the programme links schools with South Africa’s aerospace and green-tech economy.
Mini-satellites in the classroom. Girls coding rockets. Factory bosses backing young astronauts. Atlantis just launched the future, and it’s heading for orbit.
In a town better known for its factories than for firing rockets, a bold new education initiative is turning dusty classrooms into mini space labs and giving over 250 Atlantis learners a shot at the stars.
Through a powerhouse partnership between the Atlantis Special Economic Zone (ASEZ), Daimler’s Atlantis Foundries, the Meta Economic Development Organisation (MEDO), and five local high schools, backed by Wesgro and the Western Cape Education Department, a radical programme is rewiring how science and technology are taught in township schools.
The project, called the MaxIQ Space STEM Programme, will roll out over two years, teaching students how to build, programme and simulate the launch of mini-satellites. Forget diagrams on a chalkboard. This is hands-on, high-stakes STEM learning, rooted in real-world tech and aerospace engineering. From circuit boards to coding, rocket trajectory modelling to mission simulation, this is no theoretical exercise. It’s about plugging Atlantis youth directly into South Africa’s future green-tech and space economy.
Western Cape Education MEC David Maynier, who addressed the packed launch event, didn’t hold back: “This is how we build the next generation of scientists, engineers and problem-solvers.”
But this isn’t just about science. It’s about smashing glass ceilings and closing opportunity gaps. The programme targets young women and learners from historically marginalised communities, offering them the skills to enter high-demand industries like advanced manufacturing, space tech and renewables.
“We’re not just teaching science,” said ASEZ executive Selwyn Willoughby. “We’re breaking cycles of inequality, one satellite at a time.”
The financial firepower behind the launch? None other than Atlantis Foundries, a Daimler Group giant that produces precision parts for global automotive engines. Their message was clear: this is more than PR. It’s strategic investment. “STEM is the future,” said Foundries CFO Benjamin Banhaf. “And we’re putting our money where the future is.”
The five high schools taking part in the programme are Atlantis Senior Secondary, Robinvale High School, Proteus Technical High, Saxon Sea Secondary, and Atlantis School of Skills. Each school will become a launchpad, not just for satellites but for student careers in science, tech and engineering.