‘It’s a Pan-African story’: the artists telling the amazing true tale of Zambia’s mission to reach space

View image in fullscreen Lift off … A scene from Circus Zambia and Wake the Beast’s Afronauts. The space programme never did take off. Photograph: Circus Zambia & Wake The BeastIn the years since, there has been some debate about whether or not the Zambian space mission was a genuine endeavour. Despite its downfall, the Zambian space programme continues to influence artists the world over, particularly in the past decade or so. Photograph: Circus Zambia & Wake the BeastThe partnership between the two companies goes back many years.