logo
episode-header-image
Oct 2021
14m 31s

Is Africa's space age ready for blast of...

Bbc World Service
About this episode

South Africa launched the continent’s first satellite in 1999. Since then, African countries have launched more than 40 more into orbit. And over the next five years, there are plans to triple that number. So, why is there such a scramble to put satellites in space? And how will they benefit people back on Earth?

Host: Karnie Sharp (@KarnieSharp)

Guest: Pontsho Maruping

#AfricaDaily

Up next
Oct 27
Tanzanian elections: What issues are young people concerned about?
As Tanzania gears up for elections on 29 October, we hear from two young people about the issues that matter to them and whether youth concerns have been featured in the electoral campaigns.How a young Senegalese footballer's dream of joining a professional club ended in tragedy ... Show More
33m 44s
Oct 23
Focus on Africa: Hundreds of stolen social media identities used to spread propaganda
A BBC investigation uncovers dozens of social accounts using stolen identities of Somali and Muslim influencers and posting political propaganda content. We hear more about what was uncovered and who might be behind this widespread operation.Chad’s parliament has overwhelmingly a ... Show More
32m 11s
Oct 21
Focus on Africa Can DRC be declared ebola free?
The last ebola patient in the Democratic Republic of the Congo has been released from a treatment centre in Kasai province. Can the country now be declared free of this latest outbreak?What is behind the escalating tensions between Ethiopia and Eritrea over control of the Red Sea ... Show More
29m 59s
Recommended Episodes
Apr 2024
Does Africa need a rethink on tackling violent extremisim?
African leaders meeting at a security summit in Nigeria says the continent needs a new plan to tackle violent extremism. The two-day counter-terrorism summit, supported by the United Nations, was also attended by African Union Chairman Moussa Faki Mahamat What are the challenges ... Show More
34m 12s
Aug 2023
Why is South Africa collapsing?
South Africa once had the most abundant and cheap electricity on the continent. Now, it is experiencing power blackouts. It’s called loadshedding, the process by which the power company Eskom occasionally reduces the demand for electricity on the national grid.For many South Afri ... Show More
23m 45s
Aug 2020
Living Planet & Africalink: Africa's changing climate
In a special crossover show with DW's Africalink and Living Planet, we dive into the issue of climate change across Africa. What does climate science and climate activism look like on a continent already dealing with climate impacts today? How can African nations address energy p ... Show More
29m 56s
Jan 2023
Will the focus remain on Africa?
Focus on Africa is changing from broadcasting live to being pre-recorded. But will this affect the quality of its reporting and how it reacts to breaking news stories? We ask BBC Africa to explain. Plus what drives technology coverage on the WS? And listeners once again query tha ... Show More
9 m
Jan 2020
Space Junk: How Cluttered Is The Final Frontier?
Since the dawn of Sputnik in 1957, space-faring nations have been filling Earth's orbit with satellites. Think GPS, weather forecasting, telecommunications satellites. But as those have increased, so, too, has space junk. On today's show, we talk about the first mission to clean ... Show More
11m 20s