563 - The Afronauts, Zambia’s Space Program

2026-08-05

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In October 1964, as the Southern African country of Zambia was celebrating independence, an exciting and somewhat surprising announcement was made... Edward Mukuka Nkoloso was setting up Zambia's National Space Program and whats more, his 'Afronauts" were going to beat the Americans and Soviets to the moon and beyond.This is a comedy/history podcast, the report begins at approximately 06:02 (though as always, we go off on tangents throughout the report).For all our important links: https://linktr.ee/dogoonpod...

This is a comedy/history podcast, the report begins at approximately 06:02 (though as always, we go off on tangents throughout the report).

For all our important links: https://linktr.ee/dogoonpod

Check out our other podcasts:

Book Cheat: https://play.acast.com/s/book-cheat

Prime Mates: https://play.acast.com/s/prime-mates/

Listen Now: https://play.acast.com/s/listen-now/

Who Knew It with Matt Stewart: https://play.acast.com/s/who-knew-it-with-matt-stewart/

Jess Writes A Rom-Com: https://shows.acast.com/jess-writes-a-rom-com

Our awesome theme song by Evan Munro-Smith and logo by Peader Thomas

Do Go On acknowledges the traditional owners of the land we record on, the Wurundjeri people, in the Kulin nation. We pay our respects to elders, past and present.

REFERENCES AND FURTHER READING:

https://www.newyorker.com/culture/culture-desk/the-zambian-afronaut-who-wanted-to-join-the-space-race

https://airandspace.si.edu/stories/editorial/story-behind-zambian-space-program

Faces Of Africa - Mukuka Nkoloso: The Afronaut (CGTN)

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=U2ikxZK65pA

The Time When Zambia Tried To Go To Mars (SideNote)

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7TI9ixb-a5M

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Edward_Makuka_Nkoloso#

https://www.vice.com/en/article/the-almost-forgotten-zambian-space-odyssey/

https://www.theatlantic.com/technology/archive/2010/10/old-weird-tech-the-zambian-space-cult-of-the-1960s/64945/

https://www.britannica.com/topic/history-of-Zambia

https://www.bbc.com/news/world-africa-14113084