Africans urged to back continent’s first moon mission

Source: The Guardian

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Organisers of Africa2Moon hope to inspire and educate a new generation of engineers and scientists, as well as shattering prejudices in the rest of the world that often paint this as a hopeless, dependent and scientifically illiterate continent.

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The ultimate ambition, which could take a decade, is to put a probe on the lunar surface or in orbit around it, then beam back live pictures via the internet to classrooms all over Africa. It will also be a platform for experiments proposed by scientists. But Weltman believes the journey is as important as the destination: every year there will be a related project inviting mass participation.

The non-profit foundation, based in Cape Town, South Africa, has turned to online crowdfunding and is seeking $150,000 by the end of the month for the first phase, which will involve addressing and recruiting students at universities across Africa. So far it has raised $12,744 since 19 November.

It has faced some criticism on social media with sceptics claiming that Africa, still beset by crises such as Ebola and several conflicts, should stay out of the space race. Weltman responded: “You can feel the ‘Afro-pessimism’ coming out. Some perceptions are true and can’t be denied: we have to eradicate corruption, we have to deal with diseases, we have to eradicate poverty.

Read more: http://www.theguardian.com/science/2015/jan/05/africa-moon-mission-africa2moon-crowdfunding