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Re:Starlink Mini 2 by carlosjobim on Wednesday November 11, 2026 @07:38AM (#50452698)
As a consequence, South Africa has a flowering space industry and their own satellite internet network, deployed by their own space shuttles. Turns out that when you give the right incentives and protect your local businesses, they have no problem competing with predatory international firms.
Re:Starlink Mini 2 by _djo_ on Wednesday November 11, 2026 @08:36AM (#50453253)
You're being sarcastic, but South Africa does indeed have a thriving space industry for its size. Not only in terms of satellite components, but entire buses and satellites, which has included building satellites for Saudi Arabia.

However, the purpose of the BBBEE local ownership requirement for companies like Starlink is to protect and develop the local telecommunications sector, not the space sector.

https://www.wesgro.co.za/invest/sector-brochures/space-econo...

https://mybroadband.co.za/news/science/637482-billionaire-ho...

https://maxpolyakov.com/africa-in-space-part-1-south-africa-...

https://www.trade.gov/country-commercial-guides/south-africa...

https://spaceinafrica.com/2026/08/11/the-quiet-giant-of-glob...

https://space.skyrocket.de/doc_sdat/saudisat-3.htm

Re:Starlink Mini 2 by anonreplier on Wednesday November 11, 2026 @09:04AM (#50453576)
Will the HN frustrated billionaires-in-making ever get tired of twerking for Elon?