ZAMBIA STARTS PREPARATIONS FOR SATELLITE LAUNCH

ZAMBIA STARTS PREPARATIONS FOR SATELLITE LAUNCH

Zambia had made some progress in its efforts to launch its own satellite with the establishment of a committee of experts to spearhead the process. The 20-man Technical Steering Committee on the National Space Science program was expected to develop a roadmap and implementation plan for the launch of a space satellite in the next two years.

During the unveiling of the committee, Minister of Science and Technology Felix Mutati expressed confidence that the experts appointed to spearhead the development and coordinate activities for the development of space science will do a good job.

Director General of the Higher Education Authority and one of the experts on the committee Prof Stephen Simukanga assured that the team was ready to start doing its work. Last year, Mr Mutati said it was imperative for the country to have its own satellite because the current situation where the country borrows space from other satellites was limiting access to data. But this would be backed by the development of a science policy, he said.