The space race is a battle of big minds and miniature . Much remains to be done but could potentially be a trillion-dollar industry that will also cash in on.

BY KAREN MWENDERA

rittany Bull is only 18 years old but can already add ‘space scientist’ to her resume. She is part of a team building Bone of South Africa’s first privately-owned nanosatellites to launch into space. “The space industry is about exploration and exploration only happens when you do something nobody else has done before,” says Bull, her face lighting up like the . The teenager grew up in a small, sleepy town called Strandfontein in the Western Cape province of South Africa where starry THE nights are more the norm than satellites. But Bull has ambitions for herself and the planet. She is currently studying engineering and is ambassador for a space program at FUTURE IS XinaBox, an Internet of Things (IoT) and electronics development solution focused on coding. The nanosatellites Bull is working on will be released by a at an altitude of LOOKING approximately 250km, and will travel to the International Space Station (ISS). “That’s extreme low earth orbit. That’s the first time a is going to fly in that orbit and it’s the first time a satellite that small is going to fly,” she says. Five nanosatellites “linked together in a thin film of solar panels” will fit in a box UP similar to a CubeSat (a miniaturized satellite

for space research). me - Images / Supplied Celetis and Charles Smith via Getty Danita Delimont by Photos space news / African / XinaBox Limited & Spave Sky Flights morial Space

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Once ejected from the rocket, the box will [South African National Space Agency] just open up and the five satellites will unfold as great,” she says. with a motherboard and attached “I feel my biggest contribution would be to them. Their function will be to collect here.” temperature data. “The main purpose of that is to figure out Onwards and upwards burn-up temperature and rate upon re-entry South Africa has sent three satellites to space. into the atmosphere from that altitude,” says The first was a miniature satellite launched OVER 40% OF THE Bull. “No flight has ever taken place at that in the US in 1999, built by post-graduate altitude before so that is going to be the first.” students at Stellenbosch University in the SATELLITES LAUNCHED It will orbit for 14 days before burning up. Western Cape. The data will be transmitted via radio before The second South African satellite was IN AFRICA WERE that happens. launched into space by a Russian Soyuz LAUNCHED OVER THE “It is really awe-inspiring and also rocket at Baikonur in 2009. It was called the motivating because I did not let my Sumbandila satellite. LAST TWO YEARS.” background stop me. So what’s to say that “It is a Venda [South African] name for – ONIOSUN TEMIDAYO every other African child can’t make a path-finder,” says Nomfuneko Majaja, the valuable contribution and if every other Chief Director: Legal & Compliance, SEZs African child is given the opportunity, we and Space Affairs at the Department of Trade would progress so fast...,” she says, smiling. and Industry (DTI). Euroconsult, a global independent Bull always dreamed of taking the leap Majaja is the former member of the Ad consulting and analyst firm specializing in into the space industry but never knew what hoc Committee for the review of the Space satellite-enabled vertical markets, predicts career path would take her there. Affairs Act No. 84 of 1993. that about 7,000 small satellites will be She had wanted to study nursing like She has experience in national economic launched, at an average of 580 per year by many other girls her age in her community policy development and strategy processes 2022 and growing to an average of 820 per but in 2015, when a group of female and specifically in aerospace, outer space and year by 2027. engineers and astrophysicists came to teach electro-technical sectors. “You can put a satellite in your hand, students about STEM (Science, Technology, Majaja says the space industry is not that’s how small it is,” adds Majaja. Engineering and Mathematics), her dreams as big compared to other industries in Bull is also working on a project with started coming true, slowly but surely. South Africa, and is trying to change that XinaBox to create an even smaller satellite The following year, she joined Space Trek, by interacting with various stakeholders called the X Sat. a space science camp in Cape Town offered involved in the country’s space economy. “It could fit into an iPhone 7 Plus. It is by Morehead State University in Kentucky, But she says the industry is growing that tiny,” she says. United States (US). significantly. It will have different sensors with It was a STEM program aimed at In 2013, South Africa launched its third functions. empowering young girls. She then applied satellite, developed by a high school learner “We have an array of sensors for infra- to their space science and engineering in the Eastern Cape province of South Africa. red sensing, ultraviolet light sensing, carbon degree program and was accepted on a part- It was South Africa’s first cube satellite emissions…” scholarship basis. known as TshepisoSat (Code name ZA- It will also have GPS sensors. Bull is currently raising funds for her stint CUBE1). South Africa is currently working on at Morehead State University and plans to “In conjunction with developing launching the next CubeSat in December start next year. small satellites, there’s now a big move to 2018 on a Russian Launcher. Once she is done with her studies, she developing CubeSats,” says Majaja. One of the ambitious projects many hopes to return home to make an impact in A cube satellite is a miniaturized satellite are looking forward to in the country is South Africa’s emerging space industry. made up of multiples of 10cm×10cm×10cm the Square Kilometer Array (SKA), an “My dream is to bring that expertise cubic units. Satellites are getting smaller, international effort to build the world’s back to South Africa and help make SANSA smaller, and still smaller. largest radio telescope, with a square

DECEMBER 2018 - JANUARY 2019 FORBES AFRICA | 31 a space club in his university with over 200 members. He was also involved in the university’s center for space research. In 2017, he was part of the group that created Nigeria’s first nanosatellite in conjunction with the Japanese Birds-1 program, a collaborative effort between the Federal University of Technology, Akure (FUTA), and the National Space Research and Development Agency. It involved five countries, namely Bangladesh, Japan, Mongolia, Ghana and Nigeria. Temidayo worked on the grand station development. The project’s aim was to equip the future generation of students to create their own satellites. Post his studies, Temidayo joined the Space Generation Advisory Council, a global organization aiming to bring the views of young space professionals to the United Nations. There, he became the kilometer (one million square meters) of placed for a lot of research that the people in African regional coordinator driving the collecting area. the US can’t do. development of space and promoting STEM. According to their website, it will “The space industry is going to move and In 2017, they hosted an African region deploy thousands of radio telescopes, it is going to change and if we have enough space generation workshop, a gathering of in three unique configurations, and people who are passionate enough about it, young space professionals in Africa with 15 enable astronomers to monitor the sky then we might just be at the helm of the ship.” countries in attendance. in unprecedented detail thousands of Early 2018, the young entrepreneur times faster than any system currently in Using space technology to resolve founded a company called Space in Africa, existence. Africa’s problems a platform that covers the business, “The South African MeerKAT radio Thousands of kilometers away from South technology, discoveries, events and political telescope is a precursor to the Square Africa, 24-year-old Oniosun Temidayo has news around the African space and satellite Kilometre Array telescope and will made it his life’s mission to make Africa the industry. be integrated into the mid-frequency next frontier of the space industry. His goal was to put out African-related component of SKA Phase 1,” they state on Temidayo grew up in a family of five information about the industry that he found their website. children in Oyo State in the southwest of lacking. More than 500 international Nigeria, but always aspired to go to space. “In Africa, we believe it’s actually time astronomers and 58 from Africa have There were no opportunities to study to get involved in the space industry. But we submitted proposals to work with aerospace engineering or astronomy so he realized this is not going to happen if there MeerKAT once it’s completed. studied meteorology instead, but space is is no adequate information on the industry,” “The space industry in Africa is really his first love, and he has been involved in he says. going to change completely, because of the industry for the last five to six years. He was the only African listed under things like the Square Kilometre Array and “The good thing about investing in the the 24 Under 24 Leaders and Innovators MeerKAT and the fact that there are a lot of space industry is that it helps you solve in STEAM and Space Awards given away space-tech companies in Africa and African major societal problems. Space technologies by The Mars Generation (a non-profit with governments doing satellites,” says Bull. can go a long way in actually helping us boards of leaders from the space industry) “Soon, we might have a space agency on solve issues like agriculture or security,” he early 2018. The list awards young people the continent that could rival NASA in terms tells FORBES AFRICA. driving STEM and space globally. of research, because we are strategically When he was only 18, he established In August, he also made it to the 35 Under

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35 in the space industry ranking by the “If satellites can be designed, assembled International Institute of Space Commerce and tested in Kenya, if we can do that, then (established at the Isle of Man). He was one we can say we are making progress.” of two Africans on the list. According to the African Union (AU) Despite the lack of resources the country Agenda 2063, one of the aspirations is to has in space technology, Temidayo says space develop the African Outer Space Strategy technology can help in a much bigger way. with plans to establish an African space “I remember when the Chibok girls went agency. missing in Nigeria, that’s actually a scenario In 2017, a framework was developed by where space technologies could have been the AU on how to fund the agency, draft its capitalized on. At some point, we were using SOON, WE MIGHT HAVE goals, benefits and legalities. satellite technologies to track them,” he says. A SPACE AGENCY ON “African countries are investing more in Temidayo emphasizes on technology. space now more than ever, and the trend is “The argument shouldn’t be ‘should we THE CONTINENT THAT actually going way up. We expect it to remain invest in space’? Yes, we should invest in like that,” Bull from South Africa agrees. space. At the same time, we should have COULD RIVAL NASA IN “The perception of space is changing; it’s policies that enable us to actually make use of TERMS OF RESEARCH, not something for geeks anymore, it’s not these technologies to solve our problems.” something unheard of. A lot of people are BECAUSE WE ARE starting to take it seriously and they are also Africa’s outer space strategy STRATEGICALLY PLACED starting to be interested in it,” she says. Despite the many challenges Africa faces, “So that means there’s going to be more experts say it will not shy away from the FOR A LOT OF RESEARCH people going into the space industry and space race and many countries on the contributing, which means we will make continent plan to make their name in the THAT THE PEOPLE IN progress faster.” sector. THE U.S CAN’T DO.” “Seeing that space has a strategic place There are currently 13 space agencies in enabling the economy, we believe that the listed in Africa and 28 satellites have been – BRITTANY BULL government should do that,” Majaja concurs. launched by African countries so far (owned This will help governments in strategic by , Algeria, Angola, Morocco, Ghana, planning with the data they receive from Nigeria, South Africa and Kenya). satellites. According to the Business and Market She says satellites can assist with water Analysis of the African Space Industry done christened 1st Kenya University Nano- sanitation, weather monitoring, ocean by Space in Africa, over $3 billion has been Satellite (1KUNS-PF), also a 10cm x 10cm x monitoring and management, and border spent on space projects in Africa since the 10cm cube satellite. monitoring. launch of 101 by Egypt in 1998. “Kenya is a space-fearing nation,” he says. “There is room for us to manufacture “Over 40% of the satellites launched “Meaning, we have a space object out there; our own satellites and be able to distribute in Africa were launched over the last two we have joined the space race.” data,” she says. However, there are big years,” Temidayo says. He is currently the assistant country challenges ahead for the continent. “This means that in the past two years, coordinator for Kenya Space Agency and “Most African countries cannot afford African countries have been investing more is pursuing a second master’s degree in the to spend on space technologies,” Temidayo in space technologies than they were 10 field of space development. says. In additions, he says there aren’t years back.” He wants to be a force in the Kenyan enough educational programs in Africa that Temidayo expects the trend to continue. space industry and says instead of going to support space study. “By the end of this year [2018], four space, his dream is to inspire young people “African countries have relied on more satellites will be launched by African here on earth. countries like China to build their space countries.” “I want to make an impact so that kids technologies,” he says. Kenya launched a satellite too in 2018. can dream about space as a career,” he says. “If we want to grow our space industry, Charles Mwangi was involved in the He hopes Kenya will be able to maximize we need to start grooming the people who development of Kenya’s first space object the full benefits of the space industry. are going to be building the space agencies.”

DECEMBER 2018 - JANUARY 2019 FORBES AFRICA | 33 Training more people in the space an increase of 8.91% compared to satellites industry and STEM is important. registered in 2016. The countries with the Temidayo says the African space most satellites in space are Russia, the United industry is only $3 billion of the $400 billion States, China, Japan, France and India. globally. And Nigeria and South Africa have This shows a rising interest in space been leading in this space. exploration as scientists keep developing While other global countries are more economical space . planning their next trips to Mars and other At the moment, Space X is one of the planets, Africa still has a long way to go. most notable companies making an impact “Africa cannot think like that. We have in the space industry. a lot of problems to solve so let’s use space The big American corporate founded by technologies to solve our problems. I don’t South African techpreneur, Elon Musk, is think Africa should get involved in such known for designing, manufacturing and missions. Let’s use space tech to solve our launching advanced rockets and spacecraft. problems first,” says Temidayo. In 2012, it became the first privately- He adds that more Africans are traveling owned company to send a spacecraft, to developed countries to learn about the known as Dragon, to the ISS to deliver space industry and returning to contribute cargo and return to earth. towards it in Africa. Since then, there has been an increase “With the rate at which we are growing, in the number of private players looking to I think the future is bright… My goal is to the stars. actually see a booming space industry in Morgan Stanley, a multinational Africa,” he says. investment bank and financial services “I want to see the first commercial space company, estimates that the global space unicorn in Africa. If I see that, I’m going to industry could generate revenue of $1.1 be super happy.” trillion or more in 2040, up from $350 He believes that although Africa may not billion. currently be at the forefront of the space Apart from the exploration of intelligent race, more local businesses and startups life forms, investors are looking for out-of- should be involved. the-world profits. Billionaire Richard Branson is in the Global players in another realm space race and his company Virgin Galactic Space is a dark, airless vacuum, full of is hoping to put people in space soon. radiation and unknown microorganisms. “One of our biggest investments has But for some companies, this vaccum can been the space companies, which we have throw up big business possibilities. already invested $1 billion to set up,” he says Since the mid-20th century, during the in FORBES’ 100th anniversary issue in 2017. cold war, space exploration has seen stiff competition. Ashes among the stars Now, it has become easier and less costly One other company invested in the space YOU CAN PUT A to fly to space or send satellites to space. industry is the Houston-based Celestis. According to the United Nations Office If anything, it has transformed the way SATELLITE IN YOUR for Outer Space Affairs (UNOOSA) 2017 memorials are done. annual report, there are approximately 4,600 The company has been launching the HAND,THAT’S HOW satellites in the earth’s orbit. ashes of loved ones into space since 1997. SMALL IT IS.” In 2017 alone, there were 553 satellites It garnered global attention when and other space objects registered. it dispatched a symbolic portion of the – NOMFUNEKO MAJAJA These were a combination of privately- cremated remains of creator Gene owned and governmental objects. This is Roddenberry, 1960s icon ,

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Each capsule has a tracker and transmits the data of its location. In 2019, the company plans to launch a voyager service that will send the spacecraft carrying the capsules on a permanent journey through space. Chafer says the space industry offers many avenues for growth. WE HAVE AN “We have an opportunity to extend our civilization at large throughout the solar OPPORTUNITY system,” he says. TO EXTEND OUR “I see it as an opportunity that’s not just economic and cultural, but a human CIVILIZATION AT LARGE opportunity... It’s pretty simple because I THROUGHOUT THE think we are starting to see that you cannot have unlimited growth of any kind in a finite SOLAR SYSTEM.” system and earth is a finite system,” he says. – CHARLES CHAFER The company has seen vertical growth. “We have basically doubled our revenues every year for the last three years,” says Chafer. But there is no guarantee every startup will be successful, he adds. When he graduated, he became the “The great thing about having different manager of an Israeli project that sent an companies is that there will be a lot of good astronaut to space. ideas. But by no means will all of them make In 2003, a friend, Ilan Ramon, was part of it... You need a lot for some of the best ones to a seven-crew member trip to space onboard and 22 other participants into earth’s orbit emerge and become part of that economy.” the space shuttle Columbia. He was Israel’s aboard a Pegasus rocket. Chafer believes his business is here to first astronaut. Charles Chafer, the CEO of Celestis, co- stay, and in the future, he would like his own However, the two-week mission ended founded the business in 1994. remains to be sent off to the depths of space in tragedy as the shuttle was destroyed 16 “Our job was to put together two of the too. minutes before it landed on earth. All seven most conservative industries out there, the crew members died. space industry and the funeral industry,” he The risks at zero gravity “It was also a reminder about how tells FORBES AFRICA. Meir Moalem, a former fighter pilot from dangerous space is. It is exciting, it is sexy, Since then, they have been dominating Israel, is the CEO and co-founder of Sky and it invigorates the imagination, it has a huge the memorial space industry and have not Space Global ltd. value but it is also a risky business,” Moalem looked back. Growing up, Moalem was a space geek. tells FORBES AFRICA. The ashes are kept in a capsule and “I always considered myself a space A quick Google search reveals that there transported into space via other rockets junkie. I loved astronomy and read all the have been 30 recorded fatalities resulting traveling there. science fiction books. So it was very clear to from space flights or testing. The company offers services to launch me that when I’d come of age, I would do “When people are not involved and when the capsule into space in a zero gravity something that involves physics, astronomy, a satellite explodes on a launchpad, we tend environment and then return it to earth. space or something like that,” he says. to think it’s only money, but although lives Another service includes launching the Instead, he found himself becoming a are not lost, it is not only money. It’s people capsule into orbit where it remains until it jet pilot in the Israeli air force and spent 25 who have invested years of their lives in a re-enters the atmosphere. years there. That’s also when he decided to mission and were looking forward to see the Lastly, the capsule can also be launched to acquire a degree in physics and get involved success of their work being put into that, but permanently remain on the moon. in Israel’s space industry. it is a risky business,” he says.

DECEMBER 2018 - JANUARY 2019 FORBES AFRICA | 35 A Celestis capsule attached to a rocket

NASA and Space.com have estimates Moalem is planning to change the risk that the average space shuttle mission costs factors involved in space projects. between $450 million and $1.6 billion. “We are actually transforming that and According to Business Insider, one of the creating a reliable ecosystem,” he says. most expensive failed space missions lost Instead of launching the 200 satellites at $424 million. one go, they are launching 20 to 25 satellites This was a NASA launch in 2011. every three months so that if something A satellite worth $424 million was meant inadvertent were to happen, it would have to track the earth’s climate but encountered less of an impact on the business or overall IT WAS ALSO A problems when the rocket’s nose cone failed program. to separate. “What we are doing is completely REMINDER ABOUT HOW In developing countries that depend on disruptive and it has transformed the capital DANGEROUS SPACE IS. internationally-owned satellites, that loss structure in the space business,” he says. also has an impact, says Majaja. “You don’t need hundreds and hundreds IT IS EXCITING, IT IS “Imagine just one day, a satellite is of millions of dollars to build a commercial switched off and you are unable to do a space company. You can do with a lot less SEXY, IT INVIGORATES transaction you want with your financial and still provide very good services and very THE IMAGINATION, IT institution. Imagine all of us in South Africa… good capabilities to your customers. our lives will come to an end, the company’s “We are changing the way we are HAS A HUGE VALUE lives will come to an end, these economies thinking about it and making the space BUT IT IS ALSO A RISKY will come to a standstill,” she says. business or space endeavours more reliable, The failure of satellites can have an more trust-worthy,” he adds. BUSINESS.” enormous ripple effect on the whole world. He says it is becoming cheaper and the – MEIR MOALEM Moalem says it is a very difficult and trust factor is in place now because you can complex business but it’s also about contain the risk. innovation. Moalem’s business has been able to raise Despite the major risks involved, his $35 million in the Australian stock exchange. company launched its first satellite in June Through the 200 nanosatellites, he hopes A 100 people worldwide have 2018. to improve mobile communication coverage been shortlisted by the Mars One Now, it’s planning to launch 200 globally by offering a service to internet and project to travel to Mars in the data service providers for faster and efficient nanosatellites into orbit in 2019. next decade to establish a human communication. “Up until now, when you are working on a colony. A few Africans, such as No doubt there have been huge leaps in commercial space application, it is extremely Adriana Marais have also made the journeys to space with advancements in expensive and you are working for years the list. It’s a one-way ticket to communication and technology. and years and you have a satellite that costs the Red Planet in 2026. Other This has also been fueled by $200 million or $300 million or a rocket that South Africans include Alexandra entrepreneurship and innovation. costs $100 million and God forbid something Doyle, Edwin Samuel le Grange The outer space has become a level happens, and you lose years and years of and Divashen Govender. effort,” he says. playing field, and Africa is ready to lift-off.

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‘DON’T BE AFRAID OF FAILURE’ A former NASA astronaut, Charles Bolden, who visited Africa recently, on the importance of STEM education in the development of the space economy.

BY KAREN MWENDERA

ajor General Charles With regard to the business side of the Bolden from South space industry, what are some of the Carolina has been in the projects you see going forward? space industry since the I think you are going to see more companies M1980s. During his time as an astronaut, like SpaceX. It is sort of the model for he served as the Administrator of everybody today. They are the most well- NASA. In this capacity, Bolden oversaw known, and in fact, SpaceX is the company the safe transition from three decades that is taking the US from being almost a of space shuttle missions to a new non-player in launch operations, say 10 years era of exploration focused on the full ago, to today actually dominating something utilization of the International Space in the neighborhood of probably 60% or Station (ISS), an unprecedented landing 70% of launch operations. on Mars with the Curiosity rover, the With the Chinese being next and maybe launch of a spacecraft to Jupiter, and Russia being third, but we completely turned continued progress toward the 2018 the market around such that the US is now a launch of the James Webb Space major provider of launch services. Telescope (JWST), the successor to the That is not government; that is private Hubble Space Telescope. launch providers like SpaceX, or even small Ahead of his visit to South Africa in enterprises. So that is the trend. November 2018, he spoke to FORBES AFRICA about his work in the It is going to be private and entrepreneurial service providers space industry. with the government and big businesses buying the service; whether the business is data or transportation. What does your visit to Africa entail? My trip involves two countries; Ethiopia and South Africa. This will How has technology impacted space travel? be my second time here in Ethiopia and my fourth time coming to Perhaps the biggest change today is the ability of robotic spacecraft South Africa… The purpose of coming is actually to try to promote to reach other robotic spacecraft and make repairs, whereas before, STEM education among the youth and also to talk with business and that could only be done by humans like we did with the Hubble government leaders about the potential of collaboration with the US Space Telescope… in science and technology and also to develop a commercial interest When we moved to the ISS, we had migrated to robotic devices; in space. appendages on the outside of the ISS that can be programmed to do a particular task, and there is no human intervention whatsoever Where do you think Africa stands in the space industry? once you turn the program on, so we can now use a robot on the ISS Well, my limited knowledge comes from my time as a NASA to cut and mend cables, hook up fuel lines and electrical cables to administrator; we had five different partners during the time that different devices. That’s the technology development that has given I was there. South Africa was the dominant partner because they rise to the emerging industry today of on-orbit repair capabilities… had the most mature space program, but we worked with Morocco, Algeria, and Uganda. And then I had been to Ethiopia before but What’s your advice for someone who dreams of going to space? that was mainly to talk about STEM education and to try to get the Don’t be afraid of failure. Don’t let anybody or anything intimidate Ethiopian government interested in doing some things in space. you into thinking you can’t do something. I like to remind people that [space] is more than human space Just go for it! If you fail, so what? The big thing is getting up and land, it’s science, it’s things like agriculture from space, so in Ethiopia, dusting yourself up and trying it again. Those would be my message that’s been among the things I got the chance to talk to people about. to young people anywhere.

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