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
Jul 9
Focus on Africa: Ghanaians lured into football job scam
Ghanaian authorities have rescued more than 70 young men from a trafficking ring in Nigeria. The men thought they were heading for football contracts or overseas opportunities. Why has football become a gateway for trafficking? Leaders from five African countries - Gabon, Guinea- ... Show More
28m 15s
Jul 1
Focus on Africa: Why has polio re-emerged in Angola?
Angola was certified as polio-free in 2015, but is now combating a new outbreak of the disease after several cases were reported in a Western province. What has caused the virus to come back?A new report says Islamist militants are using Starlink technology to ramp up operational ... Show More
33m 9s
Jun 10
Focus on Africa: Russia's Wagner Group leaves Mali
Russia says the paramilitary group Wagner has accomplished its mission and has left Mali, although a Russian presence remains in the West African country, through the Africa Corps. So what did the Wagner Group achieve?Why has a separatist movement on the tiny, remote island of An ... Show More
33m 18s
Recommended Episodes
Jan 2021
Why African descendants are moving to Africa
Citing racism and a desire for belonging, Americans and Britons of African descent are moving from the West to the African continent. It’s part of a Pan-African campaign to encourage repatriation and investment in tourism in Africa, and it’s a trend that culminated in 2019 with G ... Show More
18m 54s
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