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Botswana launches first satellite BOTSAT-1 aboard SpaceX Falcon 9

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

#221

Post by varjag »

Ray20 wrote: post #209
varjag wrote: post #171

Earlier quoted context omitted.

You would not have been killed in Khrustchev times for expressing a dissatisfaction with the space programme, even though it certainly deviated from the party line. Perhaps it's worth considering that what people find inspiring does not necessarily reflect their material condition: humans are complex creatures.

You are buying Soviet propaganda. Just an example of what what happening in Khrustchev times for expressing a dissatisfaction: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Novocherkassk_massacre

I grew up in Soviet Union and have a pretty solid idea what you could and what you could not say, but thanks for trivia.

A life anecdote: in mid 1980s my classmate shot the Lenin portrait in the classroom through a straw. His parents were called in and reprimanded. In 1950s they'd been in real trouble; in 1937 they would have been arrested, tortured and likely killed. In 1989 nobody would have cared.

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

#222

Post by varjag »

dingnuts wrote: post #207
varjag wrote: post #171

Earlier quoted context omitted.

You would not have been killed in Khrustchev times for expressing a dissatisfaction with the space programme, even though it certainly deviated from the party line. Perhaps it's worth considering that what people find inspiring does not necessarily reflect their material condition: humans are complex creatures.

just ten years in the gulag archipelago I guess lol, not death!

GULag system was disbanded by same Khrushchev in favor of traditional prisons.

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

#223

Post by lupusreal »

tonyhart7 wrote: post #40
dmitrygr wrote: post #36

Earlier quoted context omitted.

Luckily for you, the linked site has upcoming schedules to trivially look this up. India has 6 launches upcoming in 2025, Rosskosmos has 8 and Russian military has one more. So Russia is launching 50% more than India in 2025.

roscosmos launch is because they still get contract from NASA to International Space Station

Money doesn't change hands for Russia launching astronauts or NASA launching cosmonauts. They're basically bartering for the sake of knowing the station will be manned even if one side gets grounded.

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

#224

Post by StefanBatory »

epolanski wrote: post #175
StefanBatory wrote: post #169

Earlier quoted context omitted.

I am Polish; I didn't grew up during period of Communist occupation, but I've certainly heard of stories of people risking their wellbeing via trying to listen to VoA. It was very much a big crime.

Radio Wolna Europa was the one that my parents and grandparents listened to more often in communist Poland.

I might have been mistaken on that one, I'll fully admit. I am not sure if it was Głos Ameryki or Radio Wolna Europa - but my comment applies to both of them, anyway.

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

#225

Post by fastasucan »

kortilla wrote: post #57
fastasucan wrote: post #51

Earlier quoted context omitted.

Why remove it? It doesn’t change what they say.

Because it’s not clear which of the two things makes doing both hard. Developing a basic satellite is very straightforward at this point and there are countless unrecognizable companies that help do this.

Its not clear which is hard, yet there are hundreds in the comments pointing it out.

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

#226

Post by walrus01 »

heraldgeezer wrote: post #160
sureglymop wrote: post #109

Earlier quoted context omitted.

But why does it tire you that Botswana created a satellite, whatever other struggles they may have aside? What's your connection to Botswana?

You misunderstand. It's not specific to Botswana. Just that type of country.

'that type of country' is wrong to spend any money on a space program, is the root of your argument? Just to be clear?

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

#227

Post by Dylan16807 »

fastasucan wrote: post #225
kortilla wrote: post #57

Earlier quoted context omitted.

Because it’s not clear which of the two things makes doing both hard. Developing a basic satellite is very straightforward at this point and there are countless unrecognizable companies that help do this.

Its not clear which is hard, yet there are hundreds in the comments pointing it out.

It's not clear from the original bad phrasing.

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

#228

Post by tonyhart7 »

lupusreal wrote: post #223
tonyhart7 wrote: post #40

Earlier quoted context omitted.

roscosmos launch is because they still get contract from NASA to International Space Station

Money doesn't change hands for Russia launching astronauts or NASA launching cosmonauts. They're basically bartering for the sake of knowing the station will be manned even if one side gets grounded.

"Money doesn't change hands for Russia launching astronauts or NASA launching cosmonauts"

did you see my parent comment or not??? I am not trying to question their ability for them get to space, it doesn't matter if you CAN go to space but you didn't have money for it

its clear that NASA and Roscosmos collaboration days is numbered and would not continue in the future because geo politic

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

#229

Post by kalleboo »

ge96 wrote: post #192
bluGill wrote: post #189

Earlier quoted context omitted.

It is americas foreign propoganda program. is was intentionally made hard for americans to listen to. That it was hard to get at meant the types of people who want to control government propoganda didn't care and so it turned out to be a reasonable source of low bias information.

What do you think NHK is? Same thing but Japanese? It seems cool like people fishing for Ayu.

The difference is that public broadcasters like NHK, BBC etc are usually set up to be nominally independent from the government, usually through a license fee enforced separate from taxes.

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

#230

Post by mmooss »

apple1417 wrote: post #138
mmooss wrote: post #110

Earlier quoted context omitted.

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.

How is it a better start for polar orbits than any other launch site on Earth?
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