The ManicaPost
Daphne Machiri
Space research has the potential to eradicate some of the world’s global problems.
Space technologies such as communication satellites, resource monitoring systems and real-time weather update equipment have a positive impact on various aspects of development.
Of late, humanity’s outer space capability has grown remarkably to see Africa leaping into space technology.
The launch of the Africa Space Strategy which was adopted by the African Union in 2016 lays out ways in which African countries can benefit more from space science and technologies.
Various governments have already established organisations for space activities and laid funds to develop space programmes. Countries such as Egypt, Ghana, Nigeria, Angola, Kenya and South Africa have already launched their first satellites for scientific researches.
In Zimbabwe, strides have been made under President Mnangangwa’s administration. The Southern African nation launched the National Geospatial and Space Agency in 2018.
The move seeks to shape the country’s modernisation and industrialisation agenda in line with Vision 2030 of being an upper middle income economy.
The Zimbabwe National Geospatial Space Agency seeks to enhance agriculture, mineral exploration, wildlife conservation, diseases surveillance and infrastructure management and mapping.
The programme is expected to improve Zimbabwe’s use and regulation of space technologies. All this will spur the country’s sustainable development. In light of climate change, the technologies can mitigate the effects of natural disasters like cyclones and droughts.
International military units have also been using space technologies for surveillance and protection of intellectual rights.
In Zimbabwe, many achievements have been made in the exploration of outer space technologies in the agricultural sector. Solar earth physics is also promising a lot for the citizens.
Indeed, science and technology can address some key economic and social concerns.
For that reason, the country’s 5.0 education system is supporting science, technology, engineering and mathematics. From primary level, subjects and programmes are designed to equip students with practical skills that are crucial in an industrialised nation.
Conducted at tertiary level, the High-Altitude Balloon Discover Mission (HABDM) was Zimbabwe’s first space student-led project. It was a collaborative project done by science students from the Students for the Exploration and Development of Space Zimbabwe (SEDS Zimbabwe) and the Meteorological Service Department of Zimbabwe (MSD).
The team consisted of Shania Msipa from the University of Zimbabwe and Tafadzwa Banga from the National University of Science and Technology Zimbabwe; Claire Mollatt, a geography teacher; as well as space enthusiast William Pacey.
The purpose of the HABDM was to spearhead space education in Zimbabwe and ensure that students are aware of the opportunities that space has.
“Our primary goal was to record the flight to the stratosphere and use that footage for educational purpose as well as celebrating the World Space Week.
“Prior to the launch date, we decided that we would send our payload together a radiosonde from the MSD so that we could compare the atmospheric information obtained,” said Banga.
“The probability of failing to recover our instruments was high as we did not have enough time to prepare. We have seen some videos of well-prepared teams who did high altitude projects facing some challenges in recovering their payloads. To avoid too much disappointment, we had to lower our expectations and accept any outcome,” he said.
The HABDM team met on the 10th of October at the MSD offices and their balloon was launched. The launching ceremony, which was a first for Zimbabwe, was graced by the Deputy Director of MSD Zimbabwe, Mr Mazhara.
“The weight of the payload posed a huge challenge and we ended up removing the radiosonde to ensure that the balloon ascended to the stratosphere,” he said.
The students’ payload consisted of two cameras, a mobile device, USB adapter, power bank and a data logging system.
As the balloon ascended, the hunt for the payload started.
“We started tracking the payload and 30 minutes into its flight, our GPS stopped sending its location. We therefore just drove to the expected landing area that had been predicted using predict.habhub.org,”
“We drove to Marondera, which was about 75 km from the MSD offices. After three hours, it became clear that we had lost the payload. Either the mobile device had lost network or it had frozen.
“As the team was about to drive back home, we received a call from someone who was saying he had found something hanging from a tree in Murewa.
“He managed to get our contact details on the capsule.
“We could not contain our excitement. We travelled to collect the payload the following day,” said Banga.
“For a first-time launch, locating the payload was a bonus for us. We enjoyed the adventure in a mission that seemed impossible.” he said.
“It is our hope that the HABDM was just a start of many other space projects to come,” he said.
Banga said the adoption of space projects can assist in the attainment of the Sustainable Development Goals that seek to improve our communities through education, creation of employment and economic growth, among other things.
“As a nation, it is our hope that we will launch our very own satellites.
“Such initiatives will complement the Government’s efforts in promoting sustainable development.
