A South African pilot who trained with NASA and was set to become the first black African in space died in a motorbike crash

Instagram/Mandla Maseko

30-year-old Mandla Maseko.

• A South African man who beat one million applicants to win a trip to space, and be the first black African to leave earth's atmosphere, died in a motorbike crash.
• Mandla Maseko, an officer in South Africa's air force, was one of 23 people to win the AXE Apollo Space Academy competition in 2013.
• Maseko was flown to NASA's Kennedy Space Centre in Florida for G-force and skydiving training, ahead of a 62-mile ascent into sub-orbit planned for 2015.
• He was killed in South African the city of Pretoria on Saturday, $4
• Maseko, who was also a DJ, was nicknamed the "Afronaut" by South African media.
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A South African man poised to be the first black African in space has been killed in a motorcycle accident.

Mandla Maseko, an officer in South Africa's air force and one of $4, was killed in Pretoria on Saturday, $4.

The AXE Apollo Space Academy competition entailed an hour-long flight onboard the XCOR Aerospace's Lynx spacecraft, flying out of NASA's Kennedy Space Center in Florida.

Instagram/Mandla Maseko

Mandla Maseko.

The flight - which was to rise 62 miles into sub-orbit was scheduled for 2015, was delayed $4

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Maseko's friend Sthembile Shabangu said he was still hopeful he'd reach space one day.

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"There were still rocket tests happening before they could go up," $4

Maseko was nicknamed "Afronaut" after the news of his selection was first reported by South African media.

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A rendering of the XCOR Aerospace Lynx.

Maseko was sent to NASA's Kennedy Space Centre where he was briefed, trained to skydive, and undertook G-force training.

He $4 in 2013 what it meant to be chosen to be the first back African man in space on his return from the US.

"I'm not trying to make this a race thing but us blacks grew up dreaming to a certain stage."

Instagram/Mandla Maseko

Mandla Maseko on his Yamaha R1 bike.

"You dreamed of being a policeman or a lawyer but you knew you won't get as far as pilot or astronaut. Then I went to space camp and I thought, I can actually be an astronaut."

Maseko $4 in a second interview in January 2015: "The world needs space and Africa needs space more than anybody."

Other Africans have reached space, like white South African millionaire Mark Shuttleworth, $4

Maseko, however, would have been the first black African. In its history NASA has sent 17 African-American men and women into space.