Year born: 1919
Research Areas: Space travel and Rocket science
"We shall send a man to the Moon in 1964."
Source: Edward Nkoloso, Reuters interview, 1964.
Early Life
Edward Makuka Nkoloso was born in 1919 in what was Northern Rhodesia (now Zambia). He was a soldier during World War II and later worked as a teacher and translator for the government. He did not like how the British ruled his country, so he joined a movement that fought for Zambia's freedom. He even got arrested for it!
After Zambia gained independence, Nkoloso became very active in politics and science. In 1960, he began the Zambia National Academy of Science, Space Research and Philosophy.
Career highlights
Edward Nkoloso believed that Africa should take part in space exploration. At the time, only the United States and the Soviet Union were sending people into space. He wanted Zambia to be part of this future.
Nkoloso wanted to send a 17 year old girl and two cats to the Moon. He also had a dream of going to Mars to spread peace. The only issue was he did not have any rockets or fancy machines. Instead, he trained his 'Afronauts' (Zambian astronauts) by rolling them down hills in oil drums and using swings to make them feel like they were in space!
He even built his own rocket called the D-Kalu 1, named after Zambia's first president. His rocket was made of metal and shaped like a big drum. He planned to launch it on Zambia's independence day in 1964, but the government said no.
Nkoloso asked for lots of money from other countries and groups to help fund the project, but no one took it seriously. His space program eventually stopped. Still, his story became famous. Artists and filmmakers created books, movies and even a play about the Afronauts and their dreams.
Legacy
Even though his space program didn't work, Nkoloso is remembered for dreaming big. He wanted Zambia to be one of the first countries in space!
His program matters because it raised the big question of who gets to go to space. He inspired people to reach for the stars no matter where they were from.
Other interests
He was passionate about African independence and worked in politics to support freedom movements. He loved being creative and theatrical.