Uganda is planning to launch a manned space shuttle in the next 4 years.

Broads.ie

A group of Ugandan engineers are building a space shuttle in their back garden. A very ambitious bunch indeed, literally aiming for the stars!

It would be easy to laugh at Chris Nsamba, founder of the African Space Research Programme.

For a start, his research centre is based in his back garden where there's not much evidence of the type of sophisticated tools and machinery I'd imagine you need for this kind of work. When I was there, most of the engineers were equipped with just sandpaper and paint brushes. They haven't even started work on the shuttle yet, at the moment it's more of a theoretical project.

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.

The plane they've built is sandwiched tightly, nose-to-tail, between two single-storey buildings which house Chris and his team. It is painted blue and white and has the Ugandan flag proudly displayed on the side of the cockpit.
It's far from complete, there's still no engine - just a pile of bricks to simulate weight, and a mass of wires hang out underneath.

But it still seems like quite an achievement and if this hadn't been a space programme I'd have been pretty impressed. Chris believes that if his team is successful, this will still be the first aeroplane designed and built in Uganda.

A lack of local facilities is hampering the project and I asked Chris how he plans to simulate zero gravity, for example, in Kampala.

"Easy" he said. "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."

http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/programmes/from_our_own_correspondent/9573163.stm

Bipolar Joe

I read an article about a guy in some part of Africa, couldn't read, couldn't write. He built free energy devices, enough of them to power his entire village, by himself, out of bits of junk. Absolutely genius, makes me feel both wonder at how amazing it is, and shame at how I'm doing bugger all and have a thousand times more at my disposal.

baldbear

They eat da poo poo!

Guill

"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."

And cook like a marshmellow on a BBQ.

Mr. Incognito

Space Refugees.

Nice

old_aussie

Obviously the monkeys will be using Ugandans to test their theory of manned space flight.

mod: poster banned.

chin_grin

Mr. Incognito wrote: »

Space Refugees.

Nice

Fookin' prawns.

Wile E. Coyote

What odds would Paddy Power give on this thing landing outside a social welfare office in Ireland?

Hank_Jones

"Uganda, we have a problem."

IPushButtons

It's gotta be a joke hahahaha:D:D

Pherekydes

Can we update that IQ table from the other thread now? Obviously Uganda is tops.

C'mon Irish engineers! Get inventing some device to warm up the Irish summer.

4zn76tysfajdxp

old_aussie wrote: »

Obviously the monkeys will be using Ugandans to test their theory of manned space flight.

What?

Broads.ie

Bipolar Joe wrote: »

I read an article about a guy in some part of Africa, couldn't read, couldn't write. He built free energy devices, enough of them to power his entire village, by himself, out of bits of junk. Absolutely genius, makes me feel both wonder at how amazing it is, and shame at how I'm doing bugger all and have a thousand times more at my disposal.

Is this the guy?

http://www.wired.com/wiredscience/2009/10/kamwamba-windmill/

Some people see lemons and make lemonade. William Kamkwamba saw wind and made a windmill.

This might not seem like a mighty feat. But Kamkwamba, who grew up in Masitala, a tiny rural farming village off the grid in Malawi, was 14 years old in 2001 when he spotted a photo of a windmill in a U.S. textbook one day. He decided to make one, hacking together a contraption from strips of PVC pipe, rusty car and bicycle parts and blue gum trees.

Though he ultimately had big designs for his creation, all he really wanted to do initially was power a small bulb in his bedroom so he could stay up and read past sunset.

But one windmill has turned into three, which now generate enough electricity to light several bulbs in his family’s house, power radios and a TV, charge his neighbors’ cellphones and pump water for the village’s fields and household use.

Coriolanus

Bipolar Joe wrote: »

I read an article about a guy in some part of Africa, couldn't read, couldn't write. He built free energy devices, enough of them to power his entire village, by himself, out of bits of junk. Absolutely genius, makes me feel both wonder at how amazing it is, and shame at how I'm doing bugger all and have a thousand times more at my disposal.

Yeah, I hate to be the one to tell you, but free energy is bullshlt.

TheBunk1

I'd like to offer my (future) condolences to the families of all concerned...

Pherekydes

Hank_Jones wrote: »

"Uganda, we have a problem."

Shouldn't it be "Lira, we have a problem."?

FetchTheGin

Uganda be kidding me.

joshrogan

Uganda get alot of people not taking their efforts seriously.

Bipolar Joe

Broads.ie wrote: »

Is this the guy?

http://www.wired.com/wiredscience/2009/10/kamwamba-windmill/

Aye, think that's the fella. Deadly stuff. Tried looking for the original article I read it in and couldn't find it.

Sean Quagmire

Dear Sir / Madam

this may come as a surprise to you.
My name is professor Adulae Kunbenga and am humbly requesting $1,000,000 ugd to assist us in getting back to planet earth as our space capsule has become broke in outer space and we need moneis fro repair okay

please help

.

silverharp

Zambia beat them to it , copycats!

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=M9Do3dz9TR0

digme

Concerning the young fella who built the windmill for some electricity.
It's nice to see them trying to do things for themselves.
Fair play to him.

As for the so called engineers, fcking hilarious