SATELLITE PROGRAMS IN AFRICA (QUICK OVERVIEW) Date: 01 February 2018
EXECUTIVE SUMMARY: The use of the space has become a strategic necessity for today’s development in Africa. Most do not associate Africa with the high-tech sphere of “space”, however, in recent years many countries on the continent have become aware of the potential and usefulness of space technology: meteorology, telecommunications, navigation, resources management, borders security and military and intelligence purposes.
KEY WORDS: Technology, satellites, space, communications
HIGHLIGHTS: - An increasing number of African countries are aware of the value space technology holds for economic development, job creation and military aspirations. - No less than four African satellites were placed in orbit in 2017. - China is becoming a key strategic partner in support of African space programs and ambitions.
BACKGROUND. African countries are well aware of the value space technology holds for economic development, job creation and military aspirations. A majority of these counties lack the human expertise or capital to fund these types of projects. For those that have the resources, data gathered from satellites has the potential to improve agriculture, guard tropical forests from deforestation, forestall climate change, improve disaster planning, and provide internet to rural communities and remote areas. A potential space race may also increase military might, especially in countries that want to deploy these advanced tools for security and intelligence gathering.
NORTH AFRICA.
While the satellite programs have both civil and military applications, the military connotations are much more pronounced as the region is still confronted by border disputes, terrorist groups’ activities, military balance of power and illegal trafficking.
Egypt.
In 2007, the Egyptian government made its first attempt to acquire its own high-resolution surveillance satellite with the launch of “EgyptSat-1” spacecraft built in Ukraine. However, the satellite failed prematurely after more than three years of operation. In 2009, Egypt awarded a contract to Russia for the development of a high-resolution imaging satellite: “EgyptSat-2”. The satellite was launched on 16th of April 2014 but was reported a year later by Russian media as lost. Since then, Egyptian authorities have negotiated the purchase of at least two new military satellites; one for military communications (dealing with European Space companies) and a second for high-resolution Earth observation. For the latter, Cairo is
considering proposals for cheaper imaging systems from Russian (VNIIEM) and/or South Korean (SATREC) companies.
Algeria.
Algeria established its space agency in 2002 and has since launched five disaster monitoring microsatellites and an earth observation satellite “Alsat-2A”. The latter was launched from Chennai, India. The first Algerian satellite of telecommunications, named “Alcomsat-1” and built by China Aerospace Science and Technology Corporation (CASC), was launched on 10th of December 2017 from Szechuan’s province in China. It will allow the broadcasting of around 300 channels of television and the same number of digital radios. Allegedly, “Alcomsat-1” is also going to optimize, for security and military purposes, the quality of the signal of the satellites of geolocation (US-made GPS, Russian-made GLONASS and European-made, GALILEO).
Morocco.
On 8th of November 2017, “Mohamed VI-A”, the first Moroccan observation satellite was successfully launched into space. A second one is expected to be launched in 2018.
SUB-SAHARAN AFRICA.
Nigeria.
Nigeria established the National Space Research and Development Agency (NASRDA) on 1st of August 2001. The satellite “NigeriaSat-1” was built in cooperation with the British company Surrey Satellite Technology Limited (SSTL) and was launched in 2003. The satellite had weather-monitoring capabilities (especially observation of the desertification process in the North of the country). Nigeria currently operates five satellites. One of them , “NigeriaSat-X”, is a reconnaissance satellite, launched in 2006 and developed by national engineers. Thanks to “NigeriaSat-X” launch, Nigeria became the second country in Africa, after South Africa, to launch its own satellite. Nigeria also hopes to join the short list of African nations that operate their own communication satellites. Called “NigComSat-1”, it will enable the government-private partnership to sell communications services to small and mid-size customers across the continent. In January 2018, China announced the “transfer for free” of two communication satellites in exchange of a China’s involvement in the Nigerian company responsible for communications management.
In 2014, Nigeria used its “Sat-X” and “Sat-2” to monitor the Boko Harm terrorist group’s movements. Consequently, since 2016, the Nigerian Ministry of Defense is lobbying the civilian authorities in order to have a dedicated satellite and a space agency of its own to conduct the military operations against the terrorist group. The latest space ambition of Nigeria is to build a national launch pad, as the country is strategically and ideally placed close to the Equatorial Line.
OTHER AFRICAN COUNTRIES.
Ghana.
Ghana began its space program in 2012 and the first Ghanaian satellite, “GhanaSat-1”, has been officially operational since August 2017. It was developed in close cooperation with the Japanese Scientific Research institute (JAXA) and placed into orbit via a SpaceX rocket launched from the U.S. Kennedy Space Center (Florida). It will be used for the surveillance of the national coastline as well as the scientific research. The
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Ghanaian authorities are already planning to develop a second satellite that would be used to check the illegal mining activities and/or deforestation in the country.
Angola.
On 26th of December 2017, Angola's first national telecoms satellite, “AngoSat-1”, built by a Russian consortium, was launched from Baikonur space pad (in Kazakhstan). The satellite was designed for a 15- year mission to boost satellite communications, Internet access, and radio and TV services. The Zenit-2SB rocket carrying “AngoSat-1” into orbit was supplied by Ukrainian maker Yuzhmash. This launch was a rare joint project between Russia and Ukraine, after Russia annexed Ukraine's Crimea peninsula in 2014.
Senegal and Ivory Coast.
Since February 2015, Senegal and Ivory Coast have developed a bilateral cooperation for the development of a STACOM constellation for use at national and regional levels in Western Africa. A strategic and financial partnership would have been signed with the Chinese space consortium “China Great Wall”.
Kenya.
Finally, Kenya launched its first satellite in 1970. The satellite, named “Uhuru”, was equipped to study celestial X-ray astronomy. In 2015, Nairobi authorities announced plans to launch a space centre with the stated aim of boosting its space development goals; the country is ideally located for a spaceport to efficiently launch satellites into geostationary and other orbits. Kenya intends to involve other partners such as Ukraine that already produce launch vehicles. The collaboration with Sapienza University of Rome (Italy) has allowed producing “1KUNS-PF”, the first Kenyan nano-satellite, which is planned to be launched in 2018.
Ethiopia.
In January 2017, Ethiopia became the latest African nation to look skyward and declare its ambitions in space. The country’s ministry of science and technology announced that it will launch a satellite into orbit in three to five years, the first space program in Eastern Africa since 1970, to better develop its weather- monitoring capabilities.
South Africa.
South Africa launched its first satellite “SUNSAT” in 1999 and created a fully-fledged national space agency (SANSA) a year later. Russia, built its “Kondor-E” high-resolution reconnaissance satellite for the South African Ministry of Defense which was launched in December 2014. Today, the country operates three satellites.
FINAL REMARKS.
In order to better coordinate these space satellite programs, mainly developed at national level, an “African Space Policy and Strategy” was adopted by the African Union (AU) in January 2016. It is calling for the “development of a legal framework to manage a continental outer-space program” and “to raise awareness on the role of space science and technology in improving lives and creating wealth in Africa”. A dedicated AU working group has recommended the creation of a Pan-African Institute of the spatial sciences, based in South Africa, and an African Space Agency, for which Egypt applied for consideration. 3
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REFERENCES
Associated Press: Morocco’s secret launch of a powerful observation satellite puts neighbouring countries on alert – Published on 21 November 2017
Daily Trust: Nigeria Needs Dedicated Satellite for Military Operations – published on 25 March 2016
Jeune Afrique: Le premier satellite ghanéen vient d’entrer en service – Published on 08 August 2017
Jeune Afrique: l’Afrique se tourne vers les étoiles - Published on 23 November 2017
Research Fellow, International Relations, Monash University: Africa and space: the continent starts to look skyward by Scott Firsing - Published on 11 May 2015
The Jerusalem Post: Egypt to launch two military satellites – Published on 25 December 2015
The Quartz Africa Weekly Brief: Africa is looking to space to power its science, tech, and military ambitions – published on 18 April 2017
Xinhua Press Agency: China launches communication satellite for Algeria – published on 11 December 2017
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