Newsletters
Twoobii becomes part of Namib Race 2019
The Namib race is held in the remote Skeleton Coast National Park in Namibia. It is part of an Ultra Marathon series which comprises of New Zealand, Namib Desert, Atacama Desert and Antarctica. The competitors run a total of 1000 km in 4 series. The challenge for the organizers of the race was that there is no communication along the skeleton coast and radio communications did not work previously at the checkpoints. Twoobii Satellite mobile dish was dismantled and re-assembled at each checkpoint. A Cybertent equipped with laptops and tablets would be set up for the competitors to write blogs and exchange emails and update their blogs and have access to the internet. This is the only way of communication they have with the outside world during the race. “We were super happy how well it worked, given how remote the course area is. We would love to continue working with you again in the future. The next race is scheduled to start on 26 April 2020.” – Riitta Hanninen, Racingtheplanet.
SpaceX Starlink Launched for Africa
On May 23rd, 2019 SpaceX successfully launch the 1st 60 satellites of the planned 12,000 low orbit satellite constellation as the start of Elon Musk’s audacious 10-year $10 billion broadband space program. SpaceX just took a giant leap toward making global internet coverage a reality as its fifth Falcon 9 rocket of the year took flight on Thursday evening (May 23), sending 60 internet-beaming satellites into space. Known as StarLink the satellite constellation is part of a new generation of low-earth-orbit (LEO) satellite space communication network solutions. LEO satellites fly at a much faster pace than GEO satellites, because of their closer proximity to Earth. Will this work in Africa? Technically yes, once the satellite is launched it will work in Africa, and anywhere else in the globe. It can be expected that a new generation of highly-focused, niche satellite Service Providers will target this opportunity. For providers such as the Q-KON group, who is already leading this market sector with the current HTS satellite services products, this will be a logical next step in meeting the ever- growing demand for trusted broadband services in Africa.
A hidden treasure found in Botswana
Starlight currently provides services to Trollope Mining, who took over mining at Lucara Diamond Corp. A 1,758-carat diamond was recently found in Botswana by Lucara Diamond Corp who owns the Karowe Diamond Mine. This is one of the largest diamonds recovered in history, and the largest ever found in Botswana. It is the second time in four years the mine has recovered a stone of more than 1,000-carats. The diamond is said to be bigger than a tennis ball. There is no current value to the newly discovered diamond. However, in November 2015 a 1,109-carat diamond was found in the same mine, was sold to a British jeweler for USD53 million. Thanks to Starlight for being part of this historical finding, go team!
Did you Know?
Mercury & Venus are the only 2 planets in our solar system that have no moons. There are 176 confirmed moons that orbit the planets in our solar system, with some of them being bigger than Mercury itself!
