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Botswana launches first satellite BOTSAT-1 aboard SpaceX Falcon 9

(spaceinafrica.com)
395 points vinnyglennon | 4 comments | 26 Mar 25 16:02 UTC | HN request time: 0.211s | source
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scrappyjoe ◴[27 Mar 25 05:46 UTC] No.43490681[source]▶
So many strong opinions here from commenters who aren’t actually from Botswana. Let me tell you how we actually feel about it here.

We think it’s awesome! The establishment of a university of science and technology in Botswana has been a long hard road, and many mistakes have been made along the way. But the fact that Botswana now has the local skill to deploy a satellite and make use of the data it provides to inform decisions blows my mind.

I grew up in the village that now hosts the university. We were so isolated back then that I’d listen to the Voice of America and marvel at the things that were being done in the developed world, and wonder if we would ever be able to participate in that level. The fact that a smart kid can grow up to attend a local university and end up launching a SATELLITE INTO SPACE is incredible!

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sokols ◴[27 Mar 25 09:57 UTC] No.43491886[source]▶
Congratulations on the successful launch!

> .. I’d listen to the Voice of America..

I grew up listening to VoA as a kid as well, I was born in a then not so developed part of the Balkans. Sometimes I have the feeling that the ordinary Americans don't have a clue about the impact VoA had in the countries like ours.

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thinkingtoilet ◴[27 Mar 25 15:02 UTC] No.43494386[source]▶
As an American, I literally have no idea what Voice of America is.
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1. bluGill ◴[27 Mar 25 15:11 UTC] No.43494487[source]▶
It is americas foreign propoganda program. is was intentionally made hard for americans to listen to. That it was hard to get at meant the types of people who want to control government propoganda didn't care and so it turned out to be a reasonable source of low bias information.
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2. ge96 ◴[27 Mar 25 15:16 UTC] No.43494537[source]▶
What do you think NHK is? Same thing but Japanese? It seems cool like people fishing for Ayu.
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3. lawlessone ◴[27 Mar 25 16:36 UTC] No.43495344[source]▶
Could get that on cable in Ireland, i remember just leaving it on because it was just relaxing to listen to.
4. kalleboo ◴[27 Mar 25 23:14 UTC] No.43499332[source]▶
The difference is that public broadcasters like NHK, BBC etc are usually set up to be nominally independent from the government, usually through a license fee enforced separate from taxes.