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Botswana launches first satellite BOTSAT-1 aboard SpaceX Falcon 9

spaceinafrica.com

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Re: Botswana launches first satellite BOTSAT-1 aboard SpaceX Falcon 9

#131

Post by noufalibrahim »

scrappyjoe wrote: post #104

So many strong opinions here from commenters who aren’t actually from Botswana. Let me tell you how we actually feel about it here. We think it’s awesome! The establishment of a university of science and technology in Botswana has been a long hard road, and many mistakes have been made along the way. But the fact that Botswana now has the local skill to deploy a satellite and make use of the data it provides to infor…

Great to hear the positive note. There was a lot of armchair commentary when India launched its space program and got its satellites in orbit. And your disregard for those voices is exactly how I felt when it happened here in India. Congratulations to Botswana!

Re: Botswana launches first satellite BOTSAT-1 aboard SpaceX Falcon 9

#132

Post by ChrisMarshallNY »

Very good to hear!

I have never been there (I grew up in Africa), but I have always been told that Botswana is one of the more stable nations in Africa (I grew up in … less stable … nations).

Africa has amazing amounts of natural resources, and the most energetic, passionate, people I’ve ever known.

Re: Botswana launches first satellite BOTSAT-1 aboard SpaceX Falcon 9

#134

Post by markdown »

throwaway2037 wrote: post #123
tarkin2 wrote: post #91

[flagged]

Small? Not at all. Google tells me: Botswana, with an area of 581,730 square kilometers, is roughly the size of France or Texas, and slightly larger than the combined area of the UK and Ireland.

Don't blame them for the assumption based on 450 years with the mercator projection that makes USA and European nations look bigger than they are and African nations look smaller than they are.

Re: Botswana launches first satellite BOTSAT-1 aboard SpaceX Falcon 9

#135

Post by sokols »

scrappyjoe wrote: post #104

So many strong opinions here from commenters who aren’t actually from Botswana. Let me tell you how we actually feel about it here. We think it’s awesome! The establishment of a university of science and technology in Botswana has been a long hard road, and many mistakes have been made along the way. But the fact that Botswana now has the local skill to deploy a satellite and make use of the data it provides to infor…

Congratulations on the successful launch!

> .. I’d listen to the Voice of America..

I grew up listening to VoA as a kid as well, I was born in a then not so developed part of the Balkans. Sometimes I have the feeling that the ordinary Americans don't have a clue about the impact VoA had in the countries like ours.

Re: Botswana launches first satellite BOTSAT-1 aboard SpaceX Falcon 9

#136

Post by simfree »

esskay wrote: post #129
leokennis wrote: post #128

Earlier quoted context omitted.

> outside the US consumer banking must be horrible or non-existent if its that bad the USA When I read about US consumer banking ("cashing" cheques like its 1975, all kinds of ATM fees, credit scores and having to use weird "you are not really sending money real time but because the app you are sending the payment instruction through is legit you can sort of be assured the money will be paid eventually") and then loo…

It is a bit baffling how the US is so far behind on basically everything when it comes to money, banking and payments. I'm not sure many American's even realise how god awful their setup is.

Zelle works well enough for doing small (eg: only a few thousand dollars or less) instant transfers for free, and ACH works well enough for large transfers.

Our banking ecosystem is extremely fragmented with thousands of small banks and credit unions, we aren't like Canada where the 5 largest banks control nearly the entire market and can change things relatively quickly.

Re: Botswana launches first satellite BOTSAT-1 aboard SpaceX Falcon 9

#137

Post by yard2010 »

scrappyjoe wrote: post #104

So many strong opinions here from commenters who aren’t actually from Botswana. Let me tell you how we actually feel about it here. We think it’s awesome! The establishment of a university of science and technology in Botswana has been a long hard road, and many mistakes have been made along the way. But the fact that Botswana now has the local skill to deploy a satellite and make use of the data it provides to infor…

I wish you all the best brother. May your country be heaven for you, your family and your community. Keep up the progress!

Yours, a friend from another developing country

Re: Botswana launches first satellite BOTSAT-1 aboard SpaceX Falcon 9

#138

Post by apple1417 »

mmooss wrote: post #110
teruakohatu wrote: post #88

Earlier quoted context omitted.

A lot, but I do take your point. It is not our only space venture. Our universities are churning out aerospace engineers. It annoys STEM academics that the space industries keeps "poaching" the best grad students. To the best of my knowledge, the company is not a strategic priority for New Zealand, we do not absolutely need to launch our own satellites. It is purely a commercial venture. They had no choice but to mak…

Is NZ possibly the worst country to launch from (due to geography and geometry)? Yes, I know you can launch from other locations, and my question is more of a curiosity.

It depends on what orbit you want. Due to the latitude you'll end up pretty inclined by default - which is bad for equatorial orbits sure, but a good start for polar ones. At a public session I went to several years back they spoke of specifically trying to attract polar launches for that reason.

Re: Botswana launches first satellite BOTSAT-1 aboard SpaceX Falcon 9

#139

Post by leokennis »

simfree wrote: post #136
esskay wrote: post #129

Earlier quoted context omitted.

It is a bit baffling how the US is so far behind on basically everything when it comes to money, banking and payments. I'm not sure many American's even realise how god awful their setup is.

Zelle works well enough for doing small (eg: only a few thousand dollars or less) instant transfers for free, and ACH works well enough for large transfers. Our banking ecosystem is extremely fragmented with thousands of small banks and credit unions, we aren't like Canada where the 5 largest banks control nearly the entire market and can change things relatively quickly.

As a counterpoint, there are nearly 4,000 banks operating in the Eurozone. In 2017 a scheme was mandated by the European Central Bank for Instant Payments (actual funds moved between banks within 20 seconds) which currently most banks support, all banks can receive and which by October this year all banks must be able to send out.

It is possible in the US. But somehow it's not happening.

Re: Botswana launches first satellite BOTSAT-1 aboard SpaceX Falcon 9

#140

Post by lukan »

motorest wrote: post #121
noduerme wrote: post #118

Earlier quoted context omitted.

This isn't twitter. You're in a highly moderated forum in which both moderator and participants are bound by rule and custom to maintain civil behavior, in the best interest of everyone involved. Even if you weren't, you should still act as if you were in a crowded restaurant. Without agreeing to conventions for how a conversation should be conducted, you can't have any productive conversation at all. So what would b…

> This isn't twitter. You're in a highly moderated forum in which both moderator and participants are bound by rule and custom to maintain civil behavior, in the best interest of everyone involved. You're trying to make a storm in a teacup. OP literally edited his post to clearly state its fine if anyone interprete something differently. This is hardly outrage bait. Try to direct your energy to something worth your t…

"Try to direct your energy to something worth your time. Loudly complaining about vague subjective notions of netiquette in a moderated forum is certainly not it."

Maybe try not to tell other people what is important for them? That is part of the same debate, how we communicate and to me it also matters a lot.

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