Coming hot on the heels of a devastating political conflict that threatened to derail the country is some good news that should cheer up all Kenyans.
As the politicians engage in talks to resolve the differences that sparked the recent fatal and destructive anti-government demonstrations, the country is on the cusp of great success in a potentially economically lucrative area.
This is simply unbelievable. Kenya will be joining a crucial global technological race. That the country will next week send a major satellite into space is a big feat that should be celebrated by all.
The gloom from the several deaths and destruction of property in deadly confrontations between the police and protesters in Nairobi and elsewhere should give way to warm smiles all over.
The country’s first earth observation satellite, Taifa One, will soon be up and running. The culmination of fruitful cooperation with Space Exploration Technologies Corporation (SpaceX) of the United States, it will be launched from a base in California, ushering Kenya into the elite club of nations that have made tremendous progress in space exploration.
It is a proud moment for all Kenyans, but especially the team of space experts who will be travelling to America to witness the launch, which will be broadcast live on the National Aeronautics and Space Administration (Nasa) TV.
Within three months, the Kenyan satellite will start sending images to its ground station, which is being built at Kasarani, on Nairobi’s northern outskirts.
The main objective of the venture is to support the agricultural sector, which remains the backbone of the economy.
The experts will map natural resources and enable real-time monitoring of the weather to help to mitigate adverse conditions and avert disasters to improve people’s lives. The geospatial data should also come in handy for urban planning.
With this initiative, Kenya joins a few other African nations that already have large satellites in space. This is good progress by the Kenya Space Agency, whose annual budget is about Sh200 million.
It confirms the big potential of Kenyans to tackle the country’s challenges, but only if they put their heads and hands together in the search for effective solutions.
