All eyes on the Moon again
November 2022
News
Global interest in space exploration is at a fever pitch as NASA prepares its first lunar mission in 50 years. It also brings back memories of Pratley Putty being the only South African-manufactured product to have gone to the Moon. Prior to the Apollo 11 mission, the Ranger project of the 1960s was the first US effort to launch probes directly towards the Moon. This laid the groundwork for the successful Apollo 11 mission.
During the 1960s, South African manufacturer Pratley invented the world’s first epoxy putty. Initially it was intended to be used internally for insulating and affixing terminals to cast iron electrical junction boxes. However, the product was subsequently introduced into the local market as ‘Pratley Plastic Putty’, a name that ultimately became Pratley Putty.
An agreement to manufacture the product under licence in the United States was concluded with a US manufacturer, which then introduced it to NASA. However, the product was not yet ready for production in the United States, so when it was subsequently decided to use it for the Ranger programme, it was supplied directly from Pratley’s head office in South Africa. Consequently, Pratley Putty achieved recognition as the only South African-manufactured product to ever go to the Moon.
The South African Mint celebrated the 50th anniversary of the first Moon landing in 2019 with its ‘South African inventions’ series, focusing on the ‘proudly South African’ Pratley Putty. In October 2019, Pratley Putty was featured as part of a ‘Destination Moon’ exhibition at the Sci-Bono Discovery Centre in the historic Electric Workshop in the cultural precinct of Newtown, Johannesburg.
“Our roots are in innovation, research, and development. It is a cornerstone of what we do at Pratley, and we continue to live and breathe it,” comments CEO, Andrew Pratley. “Pratley branded products not only offer exceptional reliability, but in accordance with our policy statement, their performance must exceed all others on the world market.”
Further reading:
Offshore jack-up rig leg extension works completed ahead of schedule
News
Mammoet has completed heavy lifting operations to extend the legs of a jack-up drilling rig being converted into a wellhead platform at Drydocks World Dubai, marking the first deployment of a CC8800-1 Boom Booster crane configuration in the United Arab Emirates.
Read more...
Helping mines get results from water improvements
News
South African mines operate under constrained, water-scarce conditions where every investment must be justified. Xylem’s Chetan Mistry explains how the right water technology partner helps mines prioritise high-value water systems across the mining lifecycle.
Read more...
From solar to water, onsite plants are the next big industrial resilience shift
News
South African industrial operators who secured their energy supply with onsite solar generation now face the same imperative with water. Robert Erasmus of Sanitech argues that onsite water treatment is the next essential pillar of business continuity.
Read more...
From the editor's desk: Pushing engineering to the limit
Technews Publishing
News
Among the many things robots can do, it’s a lot of fun to follow how fast they are. They go from the Boston Dynamics cheetah, which first reached a record-breaking speed of 45,5 km/h, to the robot Charlie
...
Read more...
Schneider Electric concludes Innovation Summit Middle East and Africa
Schneider Electric South Africa
News
Schneider Electric's Innovation Summit Middle East and Africa, held in Abu Dhabi with more than 2500 attendees, explored the convergence of energy, AI and industrial software, launched an Industrial AI study and announced the NEST Accelerator Programme for energy and industrial tech startups.
Read more...
VEGA brings measurement expertise beyond mining to Electra Mining Africa 2026
VEGA Controls SA
News
VEGA used its Electra Mining Africa 2026 stand to demonstrate that its level and pressure measurement instruments extend well beyond mining, covering water, food and beverage, pharmaceuticals, chemicals, and oil and gas applications across the continent.
Read more...
Sustainable solutions for sugar
Bearing Man Group t/a BMG
News
BMG received a Special Commendation Exhibition Stand Award at the South African Sugar Technologists’ Association Congress, where it showcased an integrated turnkey drive solution designed to simplify the upgrading of ageing crushing-mill drive systems.
Read more...
Measure, Manage, Maintain: The operating model behind SA’s water resilience
Siemens South Africa
News
South Africa’s growing water crisis is putting pressure on infrastructure, municipalities and the economy. Siemens highlights how digital technologies, smarter operations and safe water reuse could help shift the country from crisis response towards a more resilient and sustainable water future.
Read more...
VEGA brings measurement expertise beyond mining to Electra Mining Africa 2026
VEGA Controls SA
News
VEGA used its Electra Mining Africa 2026 stand to demonstrate that its level and pressure measurement instruments extend well beyond mining, covering water, food and beverage, pharmaceuticals, chemicals, and oil and gas applications across the continent.
Read more...
Schneider Electric concludes Innovation Summit Middle East and Africa
Schneider Electric South Africa
News
Schneider Electric’s Innovation Summit Middle East and Africa, held in Abu Dhabi with more than 2500 attendees, explored the convergence of energy, AI and industrial software, launched an Industrial AI study and announced the NEST Accelerator Programme.
Read more...
printer friendly version