Ugandan Space Exploration Programme

[dales]

http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article ... z1gFesvDRH

[Rick]

'I've got a jet engine on order so I'm planning to build a tunnel, put the engine at one end and when I throw a guy in he'll float in a similar way to how he would in space.'

The Ugandan version of fried green tomatoes?

[loCAtek]

...it's easy to mock, and to dismiss Chris as a dreamer, and to say that an African space shuttle is a fantasy. But many Ugandans feel differently, and they look with pride to the country's contribution to space exploration.

Until last month, the first black flight director at Nasa was Kwatsi Alibaruho, a Ugandan national. The country's president has been known to refer to Alibaruho as an example of what his country's people are capable of achieving. His father is an academic at a Ugandan university, and according to President Museveni the achievements of his son confound the world's view of Uganda as underdeveloped and backward.

Walking away from the African Space Research Programme, I had to feel some sneaking admiration for Chris's ambition, if not a great deal of confidence that Uganda's first manned space shuttle will be lifting off from Kampala within the decade.

It made me think of a line from a Robert Browning poem: "Ah, but a man's reach should exceed his grasp, or what's a heaven for?"

The BBC

[dales]

Outside having a dream, I believe it essential that proper engineering protocols be established.

There is now way this "aircraft" will ever be able to fulfill its designated mission.

[dales]

double post

[loCAtek]

This Aircraft/plane was a test;

They have begun to build an aircraft though, apparently to test their engineering skills before they begin work on a shuttle which they hope will send a Ugandan cosmonaut into space.

Same link

...maybe not ever meant to be flown, but to challenge the students.

Can you build your designs?

[quaddriver]

test their skills of sanding fiberglass?

they might get along further by buying up some Estes and launching shit....

[dales]

Let me reieterate:

This might be a nice excercise in constructing something resembling an "aircraft" but at 80,000 feet, this craft is simply NOT suitable.

These people neither have the technical know-how nor the engineeering expertise to accomplish their lofty goals.

[rubato]

The 'plane' appears to have importance as a fetish. They cannot believe that there is any chance it is a functional object.

They are dreaming the idea of making a plane or a space ship and what that would mean (if it were true).

yrs,
rubato