Once seen as an unaffordable folly, data-harvesting and internet-boosting satellites are now a focus of African governments and businesses...[more]
Netloxh @netloxh : The African company Promising to Challenge SpaceX and take Africa to Space from Africa by Muhammed Akinyemi @theprincelyx
On 17 August 2020, Space in Africa published an analysis on some of the challenges preventing large space and telecoms projects from being executed from Africa. The analysis focused on the hindrances Elon Musk would have faced if he had attempted to launch the SpaceX project from South Africa, his birth country. As it hit professional networking site, LinkedIn, a comment popped, mentioning that “Netloxh will develop, manufacture and launch rockets from South Africa with satellites for the purpose of research and space exploration.” I followed up with the comment to understand the possibility of this happening anytime soon, and it would result in a series of back and forth communication with the CEO of Netloxh...[more]
“Earth is the cradle of the mind, but humanity can’t live in its cradle forever.”
We borrow from nature the space upon which we build.| Tadao Ando
We borrow from nature the space upon which we build.
| Tadao Ando
Manifesto of the Committee to Abolish Outer Space | Sam Kriss
The Committee to Abolish Outer Space has existed for a long time—possibly forever. The movements we founded over the centuries had different names and different leaders, but all of them were in some way part of our war against the stars. Only now are we making ourselves public—behind frail masks—because the danger is almost upon us. For all our great age and our knowledge of certain secrets, we are not powerful. We are few, and hunted, and scared, but in our weakness we will conquer. C.A.O.S. sets out these five guiding principles:
- Humanity will never colonize Mars, never build moon bases, never rearrange the asteroids, never build a sphere around the sun.
- There will never be faster-than-light travel. We will not roam across the galaxy. We will not escape our star.
- Life is probably an entirely unexceptional phenomenon; the universe probably teems with it. We will never make contact. We will never fuck green-skinned alien babes.
- The human race will live and die on this rock, and after we are gone something else will take our place. Maybe it already has, without our even noticing.
- All this is good. This is a good thing.
We have a program, closely guarded through the centuries. At one time it was the hidden book of the Sumerian heresiarchs, later the mystics of Europe were dimly aware of it as the Holy Grail:
- First we will abolish the moon, that smug sack of shit in the sky, our constant condescending stalker. This should be the easiest step: People have set foot on its surface, and come back, and eventually they stopped going there; they realized how utterly dull it is.
- Next we will overthrow the fascist institution of the sun, finally achieving the dream of all great revolutionary movements in history.
- We will disestablish the planets, one by one, leaving them to vanish with Pluto into death. We will sweep up the dusty nebulae, plug up the black holes, drink up the Milky Way, tear down the Great Wall brick by brick.
- Comets, asteroids, space dust, quantum foam: no more.
- Finally, when our victory is almost complete, we will abolish low earth orbit, the black depths of the oceans, the wildernesses of the poles, the pulsing core of the human psyche.
We said earlier that for us to abolish something does not mean to destroy it. Once the cosmos was thought to be painted on the veil of the firmament, or to be some kind of divine metaphor, a flatness inscribed with thousands of meaningful stories. Since then it’s become outer space, a grotesque emptiness. Space is a site of desecration, an emptiness in which one moves, and moving into space means closing down any chances for Earth. C.A.O.S. is not interested in setting up limits. We want to create a future, not one of tin cans dodging rocks in a void, but a future for human life. To do this we must abolish outer space with all its death and idiocy, and return the cosmos to its proper domain, which is mythology, so that when we look up it will be in fear and wonder, and the knowledge that we live in a world that is not possible.
Join us. There’s no need to find us; we will find you. One morning you might step outside to find a tiny bird staring at you intently from the shivering bones of a midwinter tree, or a drab curtain of rain creeping slowly from the end of your street. Maybe the bodies on a crowded train will suddenly release the smell of damp cool caves, maybe thin strands of grass will sprout from the cracks in your tile grouting. Maybe, with increasing regularity, you’ll start to see our initials on walls and underpasses, not spray-painted, but emerging from the patterns of ripped fliers and mossy stains. Whatever it is, you’ll know. In a movement as strange and senseless as the spinning of the stars, you will have been elected to join the Committee to Abolish Outer Space.
#Ethiopia aims for Rocket and Satellite launching ability
The Ministry of Science and Technology said Ethiopia is building a medium sized satellite launching rocket that would come to fruition within the next three years.
Ministry Public Relations Director Wondwosen Andualem said a prototype of the carrier rocket was prepared as a launch pad for the actual work.
"Efforts are underway to launch a medium sized rocket into space within the next three years,"said the director.
He said satellite building capacity has also been growing owing to knowledge and technological exchanges with development partners.
Efforts are ongoing to manufacture both the satellite and its carrier rocket locally, according to the Director, who indicated its significance for security, weather forecast and other services...[more]
danielstolle: Illustration for Esquire magazine, for an article…
Illustration for Esquire magazine, for an article titled “The Esquire Guide To Space”. Art direction by Nick Millington. This time it’s worth to look at this in high res.
The astronaut’s phone has three bars. In space.
Launching Gearbox, A Kenyan Makerspace
We’ve been talking (and talking, and talking) about a rapid prototyping space here in Nairobi for ages. Without the resources to do it, the community got things started on their own with the iHub Robotics Group, who does all kinds of cool meetings; from training newbies like me and my daughters on Arduino and Raspberry Pi, to events where they showcase locally made solar tracking systems and help to run kids hacker camps.
This week we’re announcing Gearbox – our makerspace in Nairobi.
What is a Makerspace?
A makerspace (or hackerspace) is where a community of people who like to make physical products, who enjoy tinkering, and who design everything from electronics gadgets to plastic toys meet and work. To us, it’s a place where the worlds of high-tech software geeks meet jua kali artisans. This is why our space covers to flavors; what we call “Gearbox: Light” (electronics and plastics) and “Gearbox: Heavy” (wood and metal). Keep in mind, this isn’t a manufacturing facility for many items, instead it’s a place where you rapidly prototype out your idea to see if it will work – once you figure it out, then you have to find another facility for real production.
This is a place that is very community oriented, where there are advanced users and experienced fabricators around who are part of the community as well. It’s not enough just to be a member, but you also must give back by helping the newbies and running a few trainings to get people up to speed on the equipment.
Gearbox: Heavy
This is where we have heavy duty equipment, the metal working and wood working equipment and tools that allow you to build and prototype large things. Our friends at Re:Char built a “shop in a box” – basically a container with a bunch of amazing equipment. They’ve donated that to the iHub, and we’re finding a home for it now, so that everyone in our community can start building big things.
Examples of the equipment:
- CNC table w/ backup supplies
- Diesel Generator
- Welding equipment
- Band saw, full + handheld
- Compressor, full + portable
- Power supply scrubber
- Oxyacetylene torches
- Saws, table + chop
- Soldering iron
- Drill press, hand drill, corded + cordless
- Grinders
- Forge
Gearbox: Light
When we were building out the BRCK, we found that we needed a polished space where we had access to some of the tools and equipment needed for higher-level electronics, while at the same time a place where we could mill out, or 3d print, early versions of the case. We soon found out that there were others creating robots, drones, TV devices and point of sale systems that also needed a place to do rapid testing of their ideas, but who didn’t have the tools themselves.
Our plan is to have this part of the electronics and plastics part of Gearbox on the 2nd floor of the iHub building. Where you’ll be able to come in and use a 3D printer, laser cutter, smaller CNC machines and soldering equipment. Again, the idea that there are experts around who you can talk to about the right materials, or a more efficient process for building your gadget, is here.
What we need
- Makers – you want to build something, here’s your chance. Jump on the website and register for a membership, come in and build stuff.
- Experts – if you’re beyond novice, have built products, please get in touch. We need you to help train and build up the next generation of makers.
- Interns – a number of you have already been in touch, but we’re looking for 2-4 paid interns who will help manage the space and build the community.
On capital
It costs some money to get started with Gearbox, and a lot of groups are stepping up to help, and we could use some more. The partners for Gearbox are Sanergy, Ushahidi, BRCK, Knowable and Mobius Motors, and we’re looking for more. Academic partners are MIT thus far, and we’d like to get a few more signed up here too. If your company needs access to this kind of equipment from time-to-time, get in touch.
Right now we could use about $50,000 for some equipment purchases, as it’s expensive to buy and ship some items to Kenya. If you can help on that, please get in touch.
Long-term we have other plans for keeping Gearbox sustainable in 3 ways:
- Membership: There will be monthly membership fees, the rates are still being determined, but it will be affordable.
- Gearshop: There will be a store, where you can buy the small components and resources you need, as well as a place where we sell on consignment, things made by the community.
- Partners: Corporate partners who want to be a part of this community can do take part showcasing their products and doing events.
I’ve said for a long time that I think we in Africa have an advantage in making things. It’s a culture that’s never been lost, and we’re used to improvising, adapting and overcoming challenges that come our way. This is our first foray into that meeting of the worlds between high-tech and low-tech making, and I’ve not been this excited about something for a long time.
Join us!