NARIT News
Botswana celebrate its first step into space during World Space Week
Botswana joined the global celebration of World Space Week under the theme “Living in Space”, marking a significant milestone in the country’s space science journey. At the forefront of this initiative was the BIUST (Botswana International University Science and Technology) AVN/SKA (African VLBI Network/Square Kilometre Array) Department, which led an engaging outreach programme at Gabane Junior Secondary School. The event brought together students, teachers, and science enthusiasts to explore how space connects to everyday life and how it can spark Botswana’s transition toward a knowledge-based economy.
Participants were introduced to practical astronomy using two 10-inch Dobsonian telescopes provided by the National Astronomical Research Institute of Thailand (NARIT) as part of the ongoing MOU between NARIT and BUIST, complimented by a joint training session by the International Training Centre in Astronomy (ITCA). These telescopes quickly became the centre of attention as students eagerly queued to observe sunspots through solar filters, for many, this was their first experience looking at the Sun in such detail through a telescope.
“I still remember the first time I managed to align the telescope and see the Sun up close, it felt like unlocking a new world,” says Leatile Makoko (pictured above), a young astronomy enthusiast from BIUST. After receiving hands-on training from NARIT experts during a joint visit back in 2024, Leatile learned how to set up, align, and operate the optical telescopes. Now he volunteers with the AVN/SKA Department and a group of BIUST students to carry out community outreach, patiently guiding other volunteers through the same steps he once learned. The skills are gradually spreading from one student to another, creating a growing pool of local knowledge in practical astronomy.
Teachers from surrounding schools also received dedicated training sessions, empowering them to integrate astronomy and space technology into their classroom activities through practical, hands-on approaches. The participants get to learn more about Botswana’s recent achievement in space technology in launching Botswana’s first satellite, the BOTSAT-1. This ensures that the curiosity sparked during World Space Week will continue to grow beyond a single event, fostering sustained interest in Science, Technology, Engineering, Arts, and Mathematics (STEAM) among learners.
This focus on Botswana’s CubeSat links directly to the country’s growing national satellite programme, which represents a significant step toward building local capacity in space science and technology. Earlier this year, Botswana successfully launched its first CubeSat, BOTSAT-1, marking the nation’s entry into space. The programme aims to develop expertise, support research, and inspire young people to explore space-related fields. By incorporating these developments into classroom learning, the initiative helps make space science tangible and relevant to students across the country.
Looking ahead, World Space Week will now be celebrated annually in Botswana through BIUST, offering a lasting platform to inspire young minds. By seeing a young Motswana leading in this field, more learners are encouraged to pursue STEAM subjects, building hope for a future where Botswana’s youth play an active role in shaping the country’s scientific journey.
Botswana is a partner country to the Square Kilometre Array Observatory (SKAO), soon to become the largest radio telescope in the decades to come. This is one of the major steps for the Southern African country to shift away from resource driven economy into becoming technologically driven one. As a part of this effort, ITCA's host institute, NARIT has an ongoing MoU with BIUST to work together and help them achieve this goal. For the next 3 months, two of BIUST staffs will be doing a fellowship with NARIT, learning ways in which to engage with the public from ITCA, and gaining radio astronomy experience with NARIT's radio astronomy team.
Text: Mabusha Kabo
Photo: BIUST