Ethiopia’s reach for the stars

Published in Die Zeit among others, 13.6.2019

Ethiopia is officially one of the world’s poorest countries but recently started its first space science centre. A new twin telescope and plans of a satellite launch cost millions of Euros, which is why the programme has been criticised as a waste of scarcely available resources. But is that the case? I wanted to know more and went up to the Entoto, the mountain overlooking Addis Ababa and location of Ethiopia’s space research centre. Up there, it didn’t look like useless extravagancies but rather wise investments. Quite possibly, significant parts of Ethiopia’s future will be decided above the clouds.

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© Jeroen van Loon

© Jeroen van Loon

Ethiopia is officially one of the world’s poorest countries but recently started its first space science centre. A new twin telescope and plans of a satellite launch cost millions of Euros, which is why the programme has been criticised as a waste of scarcely available resources. But is that the case? I wanted to know more and went up to the Entoto, the mountain overlooking Addis Ababa and location of Ethiopia’s space research centre. Up there, it didn’t look like useless extravagancies but rather wise investments. Quite possibly, significant parts of Ethiopia’s future will be decided above the clouds.

Read it as published in: