Talk:Ugandan space initiatives

Africa Skyhawk sources
Video report from Uganda Broadcasting Corporation, newspaper report from The Weekly Observer (Uganda). Also, the parent group is apparently the Uganda International Alien Association.--Pharos (talk) 22:17, 27 August 2011 (UTC)

Exaggerated claims
The African Space Research Program (ASRP) claims to have a "space probe" called Cadimella that it plans to launch into orbit. Cadimella is a rat cage, made of either steel or aluminum, that might contain a GPS tracking device drawing about 10 watts from fixed solar panels through a p4_12v modular connector. That's assuming that the solar panels seen in the photo of Cadimella are genuine ones, and not mock-ups applied as decorations.

Photo of man holding Cadimella

Nsamba usually speaks as if Cadimella will reach orbit and conduct a search for near-Earth asteroids. He has also claimed that Cadimella carries a missile defense system, in case some other country tries to shoot it down.

All of those statements are false.

The launch vehicle will be a helium-filled weather balloon, expected to carry Cadimella above 3.6 kilometers altitude. It might go higher. Children of middle school age in the United States and in England have lofted various objects that way, and the balloon sometimes reaches almost 30 kilometers altitude before it bursts from the reduced ambient pressure. What Cadimella won't do is achieve orbit, which requires, in addition to a 100-kilometer altitude, a transverse velocity of about 7.9 kilometers per second.

Cadimella does not carry any sensors that would enable it to carry on a search for near-Earth asteroids. It might carry a mounted digital camera.

Nsamba has referred to "thrusters" which will "kick in" once Cadimella has reached its maximum altitude with the balloon. We may be skeptical about the existence of any such thrusters, and we may be certain that Cadimella does not carry enough fuel to change its velocity by 7.9 km/sec.

Uganda Ready to Get Its Space Program Off the Ground (Voice of America)

Cadimella's missile defense system was described as using "anti-time" technology, which, so far as I know, does not exist, so the missile defense system probably doesn't exist, either.

Uganda to launch its first space observer (New Vision: Uganda's Leading Daily)

Nsamba isn't being wholly truthful. First, this thing isn't a space probe. It's a balloon payload, for which its maker is making outrageous claims of technical prowess. It won't reach orbit. It won't even reach space on a ballistic trajectory. It might drift out of Uganda, but it will never fly higher than 30 kilometers.

The Ugandan space venture is mostly a hoax. The very idea that Uganda could have an operational manned spaceflight program by 2017 is a joke. A 7th-grader in California, using a helium-filled balloon, launched her stuffed animal toy and a video camera to 28.5 kilometers altitude as a school project.

Hello Kitty in Space (YouTube)

These Ugandans, soliciting donations through PayPal and begging for grants of government money, have yet to prove that they can do as well. The Ugandan daily newspaper New Vision has reported that Nsamba's "team had already launched a prototype test and was able to take some pictures while in space." However, none of those photos has been made available as yet, and, given the dubious quality of many other claims by, or on behalf of, the African Space Research Program, it's probably best to demand proof before accepting the claims as factual.

For example, it appears likely that, to a Ugandan, "space" begins just above the treetops. Anything over 100 feet altitude is "in space," whereas among white people space is usually assumed to begin at an altitude of 100 kilometers.

Of course, since Nsamba is perhaps the foremost spaceflight entrepreneur in Uganda, it isn't quite fair to compare his achievements with those of a white 7th-grade girl. Nsamba is Uganda's equivalent of Elon Musk, so the better comparison is made between his group and SpaceX.

Mission Highlights: SpaceX's Dragon Makes History (YouTube) — Preceding unsigned comment added by 74.47.80.190 (talk) 18:43, 15 May 2013 (UTC)

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Idi Amin space program not credible
Though it is reported in some mainstream sources, I think the Idi Amin attempted human spaceflight program of the 1970s is not credible. It appears to be a conflation of Edward Makuka Nkoloso's personal project in Zambia and Idi Amin's UFO interests.--Pharos (talk) 18:37, 21 April 2023 (UTC)