Africa

In this  Space Café Radio - SpaceWatch.Global Editor in Chief Dr. Emma Gatti spoke with Savino Ruà,  International Relations Officer at DG DEFIS (European Commission) and  Cecilia Donati, Policy Officer Digital and Space for Development at DG INTPA (European Commission) about the recent NewSpace Africa Conference 2023, which took place in Abidjan, in the Ivory Coast, between the 26th and 27th of April 2023.

The Karman Project has announced 15 global space leaders selected for the 2023 edition of the Karman Fellowship program. The 15 Fellows of 2023 selected from over 300 candidates represent 12 nationalities and 6 continents, who will be joining a growing network of Karman Alumni.

OneWeb and iSAT Africa LTD announced Distribution Partnership Agreement

Our Space Café Scotland by Angela Mathis took place on Friday, 28th April. Angela, CEO of ThinkTank Maths was joined by three panelists to talk about where Energy and Finance meet the Scottish Space sector.

On 26 and 27 April, the EU Global Action will participate in the NewSpace Africa Conference 2023 to put on display success stories and explore the new opportunities emerging in the fast-growing African space sector, a sector in which Europe is strongly present and sees new opportunities for business cooperation and growth.

Over bagels, croissants, coffee and other treats, we will discuss many legal issues arising from everyday space activities. Ruvimbo and Antonino, both leading experts in space law, will also provide their ‘one word’ to describe the wonders of space/space law – a tradition for all guests at the Space Café Law Breakfasts, and help to demystify the sometimes complex and contradictory vested interests involved in space activities and industry.

The Kenya Space Agency (KSA) has announced its intention to launch Kenya's first operational 3U Earth Observation Satellite, Taifa-1 ("one nation" in Swahili) satellite, on April 11, 2023. The launch, through SpaceX, will take place in Vandenberg Base, California, UDA aboard Falcon-9 Rocket. Kenyan engineers from SayariLabs constructed and designed the Taifa-1, while EnduroSat aided in the testing and manufacturing of the parts. To this end, EnduroSat organized a two-week educational training for SayariLab’s engineering team, dedicated to space systems and engineering, covering all aspects of mission analysis, design, and spacecraft assembly.

The South African National Space Agency (SANSA) has announced its appointment of Humbulani Mudau as its CEO, effective from the first day of April 2023. Mudau takes over as CEO following the resignation of Dr. Valanathan Munsami and the interim leadership of Ms. Andiswa Mlisa. 

E-Space has received Nigerian landing rights for E-Space’s impending low Earth orbit (LEO) constellation from the Nigerian Communications Commission. The E-Space satellite system will provide communications services and connect Internet of Things (IoT) devices throughout Nigeria in many of the hardest-to-reach parts of the country, particularly those areas currently unserved by terrestrial providers.

As the world celebrates International Women’s Day on March 8th, it’s important to reflect on the value of women in the workplace, and the struggle they still face to emerge. From breaking down gender barriers to bringing unique perspectives and skills to their teams, women are a driving force behind successful organizations. However, being "behind" is not enough anymore.