Can satellite operators change the narrative of DTH decline? VVVolVolVolVol ol.6 ol.6 66 No.NoNo. No78 No. No. 55 5 11 November 2018 2020 AFRICA Nigeria AFRICA Will indigenous SPECIALspace REPOR activitiesT scale down Chinese involvement? C O N T E N T S Vol. 8 No. 11 Review of Africa’s space frontiers Editor in-chief Aliyu Bello How SatADSL is helping Africa unleash its digital potential Executive Manager Tonia Gerrald KSA awards nanosatellite development SA to the editor in-Chief Ngozi Okey grants to local universities Head, Application Services M. Yakubu Human Settlements tracking for improved Editorial/ICT Services John Daniel service delivery during and post a pandemic Usman Bello Inmarsat's Carolina Orqueda among Alozie Nwankwo TechWomen100 shortlist Juliet Nnamdi Can satellite operators change the narrative of DTH decline? 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Garki, Abuja DISTRIBUTION CONTACTS Ade Adejo ABIJAN INTERNATIONAL Suleija, Abuja AYO DISTRIBUTION AGENCY Emir Road, Ilorin Olumayowa Ojo NEWSROUND INTERNATIONAL Area 10, Garki, Abuja Magazine Circulation Nigeria Limited 90, Obafemi Awolowo Way, Ikeja Magazine Subscription Nigeria Limited Ikeja, Lagos. DELALI OTCHI Ridge Church, Tudu Branch, Accra, Ghana. AL AHRAM NEWPAPERS LIMITED Al Galaa Street -11511 Cairo-Egypt Ayo Olu MAGAZINE DISTRIBUTION AGENCY Jos, Plateau State. Cover source: Nigerian Broadband Plan 1 EDITORIAL Review of Africa’s space frontiers .The African Union has elected to be active space arena they have grown from hosting the world's first equatorial launch in space exploration as part of its Agenda producing their first small satellite to platform. Kenya has a good education and 2063, African Space Policy and Strategy commissioning a geostationary satellite information infrastructure, and acts as an (ASPS), and has taken steps towards and now plan towards sending an economic hub in the region, thus laying the creating an African Space Agency. There astronaut to orbit. backbone for a developing space nation. are also various space-related activities Nigeria's National Space Development Slowly, governmental arrangements are already underway within some member and Research Agency (NASRDA) was made for the establishment of an own space states which the African Union may leverage established in 2001. In December 2004, agency, and the country has recently since active participation and initiation of the Nigerian government contracted with launched its first satellite. There are already space-related activities in Africa will make CGWIC to build the country's second many collaborative institutions in the progress towards meeting the continent's satellite, NigComSat-1. In 2006, Nigeria's country. Although still dependent on socio-economic challenges. Ministry of Finance signed an agreement international collaborations, the critical with the China Export and Import Bank for mass needed to sustain an autonomous South Africa has historically been very US$ 200 million in preferential buyer's space industry has almost been achieved! active on the continent of Africa and this credit to help fund the project. Nigerian Space technology and research offers factor coupled with its strategic geographic scientists and engineers traveled to unique opportunity for African states to position has placed it in an advanced China to receive training and participate realize their socio-economic and position regarding the early development in satellite design and construction.32 In environmental development agendas. and application of space resources and a n t i c i p a t i o n o f t h e l a u n c h o f Ghana has always been an ambitious state engagement in space activity. This resulted N i g e r i a ' s — a n d A f r i c a ' s — f i r s t in achieving her developmental needs in South Africa engaging in earth segment communications satellite, NigComSat-1, through scientific and technological activities and scientific research since the a private spin-off from NASRDA was advancement. Realizing her development early part of the Cold War. During the late incorporated in 2006 to provide fixed needs in curbing challenges of natural stages of the Cold War the country also satellite services to much of Africa and disasters, illegal gold mining, combating engaged in research and development of Italy. The satellite launched from Xichang climate change, improving agricultural non-human space flight capabilities that Satellite Launch Center in Sichuan, productivity, enhancing natural resource were eventually cancelled as the country China, in May 2007. Beginning in mid- management and global connectivity, she moved to a new political dispensation. Post- 2008, technical errors in its solar arrays entered the space arena. Cold War and post-1994 after entering a caused the satellite to fail, and it was de- new political era, research in, development orbited in November 2008. However, the Morocco is one of the leading emerging and launch of satellites first came from the satellite's insurance funded a second space actors in North Africa, with three university sector. The government followed contract with CGWIC to build the satellites placed in orbit since 2001. Two of up the initiative, followed by private replacement satellite, NigComSat-1R. these, the pair of Mohammed VI satellites, companies and this has now resulted in the Some technical improvements were were launched since 2017 to strengthen the development of satellites by a mix of actors made to address the issues with the country's Earth observation efforts. Morocco in South Africa: government, universities previous version, and NigComSat-1R has also historically been one of the most and private companies. Ground-based launched again from Xichang in 2011. active African states in the United Nations space activities have also escalated with Committee on the Peaceful Uses of Outer various astronomy projects like MeerKAT Space and is the only one thus far on the and the Square Kilometre Array. The sum Algeria is one of Africa's leading states in continent to ratify all five core outer space total of these space activities already the space arena. Its space agency treaties. Morocco has a clear and robust presents a force for good in South Africa's Agence Spatiale Algérienne (ASAL) was space posture that focuses on remote economy. formed in 2002 to contribute to economic, sensing in particular to support national social, and cultural development, the development objectives, and a clear upward Space weather is a naturally occurring protection of the environment, the trajectory is visible as the country ramps up phenomenon produced by the sun that can management of natural resources, and its space-related capabilities and heavily disrupt human activities. Solar flares the safety and wellbeing of Algeria's involvement. and corona mass ejections are bursts of people. ASAL's actions are guided by the The rapid economic and political growth of high-energy radiation from the sun that can Programme Spatial National (PSN), Angola has sparked a recent and most destroy satellites and possibly disable which runs until 2020. Thus far, six vested interest in space activities. Against a power systems for weeks, compromising Algerian satellites have been placed in b a c k d r o p o f c i v i l - w a r a n d s e l f - modern societal life. South Africa is orbit, and a strong emphasis has been determination, the country has become a particularly vulnerable as a developing placed on using space applications to leading entity in the telecommunications country. Fortunately, the South African support sustainable development in line market in central Africa. Her partnerships National Space Agency has advanced with ASAL's mandate. Overall, Algeria with Russia and China has brought about space weather monitoring capabilities such has a robust space posture that, while the AngoSat Project; the launching of as ionosonde and magnetometer stations, predicated on cooperation, actively cutting-edge satellites to provide technical and South Africa has a chance to position places space at the service of national independence and prestige for the country, itself as and expert in this niche market, and development efforts, particularly in the as well as support the development goals partner with other African countries and the gaining of critical skills and capabilities. set by the AU. Commanding a fully rest of the world. This sharing of data could As such, the country has shown a clear functional satellite control station and eventually enable a worldwide early- upward trend in its technical autonomy trained personnel, the country is in a unique detection system that could prevent and capabilities, and Algeria is set to position to assist others in advancing their catastrophes caused by space weather. remain one of the African leaders in space own infrastructure. Nigeria is one of the leader's in the African Kenya has had a long history in space by 5 APPOINTMENTS ManSat appoints U.S. space assets,” said Cowen-Hirsch. “I including Baraja, Cochlear and the am excited and humbled by my selection to Australian Department of Defence, Katherine Gizinski as the Executive Committee, and look forward DrWinnall will drive product development, group CEO to representing SpEC's membership in the oversee testing and data delivery critical, ongoing dialog regarding operations at Myriota.