Interview with the African Representatives of the 2021 Manfred Lachs Space Moot Competition
Sequel to winning the African regionals of the 2021 edition of Manfred Lachs space moot competition, the team from the University of Pretoria will be representing Africa in the world finals. The world finals will be held virtually and at the sidelines of the International Astronomy Convention in Dubai. Space in Africa met up with the team comprising Rorisang, Thubelihle and their coach, Nick, to…
Mega-constellation; Should Africa Invest More to Expand its Capacity?
It is no longer news that a small number of companies are investing in the new satellites constellation to provide an unprecedented internet speed to users worldwide by clustering the Low Earth Orbit (LEO) with hundreds or thousands of satellites. A host of private companies from the USA, China and other powerful nations have taken the first step towards launching thousands of satellite into the…
Max Polyakov Acquires South African NewSpace Company Dragonfly Aerospace
Ukrainian Max Polyakov has acquired South African NewSpace company Dragonfly Aerospace, a company with decades of proven heritage in high-performance imaging satellites and payloads. The chairman of EOS Data Analytics, Polyakov, has had ambitions of building a space transportation empire.
According to Dragonfly Aerospace, the purchase cements Dragonfly Aerospace’s status as a critical component…
Is Africa Wasting Time and Resources on Small Satellites?
The cost of launching satellites into outer space has drastically reduced, mostly because satellites have become smaller. The small satellite phenomenon emerged in the 1980s. And it has enabled more countries and companies to participate in space activities. In the 1980s, only 15 countries had launched satellites into outer space. Today, more than 80 countries have done so. That’s about a 433%…
MzansiSat- The Prospective Satellite Operator Looking To Provide Internet Connectivity to Africa’s SADC region
MzansiSat is one of Africa's private prospective satellite operator focusing on telecommunications. With a focus on the South African market, the company aims to deploy Geostationary Orbit (GEO) satellites by working with the governments in the SADC region, with the goal to provide reliable and affordable internet connectivity everywhere by 2025.
Space in Africa spoke to Victor Stephanopoli,…
What African Space Enthusiasts Should Know About The SpaceX SN Series and Crew Dragon
On Wednesday, December 9, SpaceX Starship Serial Number 8 (SN8) prototype took off on an incredible sky-high test flight at 5:45 p.m EST from SpaceX's facility near the South Texas village of Boca Chica.
The primary goal of this test was for the SN8 to help SpaceX obtain relevant data pertaining to how the starship could reenter the earth's atmosphere and automatically steer itself to a…
Spectrum & Orbital Slotting – A case for African Countries
Over the last few decades, the use of telecommunication satellites have increased their applications became part of day-to-day living. As the number of satellites in space increase, spacing has become critical for countries to receive the most from their space assets. Over the decades, operators of space assets have turned to constellations that at times are in the thousands in the number of…
Alphabet’s Project Taara Will Enhance Internet Connectivity in Africa, But How?
Alphabet, Google's parent company has announced a roll-out plan for its new project that will enhance internet connectivity across the world, especially in underserved places like Africa. Project Taara will provide super-fast connectivity through the use of invisible light beams transmitted at high altitudes. Unlike other existing means of connectivity, the light beams will offer faster, more…
SANSA Breaks Down USD266m Budget, AngoSat-2 Set for Launching, USA Raises Alarm over Chinese Deal, African CEO Challenges SpaceX and Other Top Stories in the African Space Industry for September 2020
Top Stories
South African National Space Agency (SANSA) on Thursday, September 17, 2020, hosted journalists to a virtual media briefing, where the duo of South Africa’s Minister of Higher Education, Science and Innovation, Dr Blade Nzimande and SANSA’s CEO, Valanathan Munsami answered questions on South Africa’s USD266 million Space Hub. Both men discussed the projections for the Space Hub,…
Is MEO/LEO Satellite Broadband The Future Of Connectivity In Africa?
Internet connectivity in Africa is growing at a time when satellite broadband is taking the form to disrupt the global telecommunications industry. What does the satellite broadband trend mean for Africa's mobile boom and other emerging markets globally?
On a global scale, satellite broadband services generated merely USD 2 billion revenue out of the USD 345 billion space economy in 2016,…