by For Temidayo Oniosun, the story is the same as ever: “Room is nothing new in Africa.” But the dimensions have changed, said the space scientist and founder of space in Africa, a thought factory in Lagos, Nigeria.
During the early space race in the 1960s, African countries played an important role in the Apollo Moon missions, Oniosun told DW: They organized critical infrastructure without them “the missions would not have been possible”.
“But nobody talked about it”said Oniosun. “When America sent [NASA astronaut] Neil Armstrong to the moon was not like this: “This is good for America and we thank Africa and other regions for their contribution.” But Africa played a role. And the reason why we tell this story is to provide the context that space in Africa is not a brand new thing. “
What has changed, however, is that the African countries nowadays not only accommodate the infrastructure, but also have the infrastructure, design and starting atllites, whereby they are specific for the needs of the continent.
Space science in Africa is ‘niche’
According to Oniosun, it is important to understand that “Room a remedy to the end” is in Africa. It is technology with which people make their lives better.
“These boys don’t think: ‘We want to go to the moon or Mars.’ They think: “I can use this satellite to offer connectivity to my village.
Many satellite data are freely available. But African countries have needs that are specific to the equatorial region, and European and other satellite programs are often not the needs.
Olugbenga Olumodimu, a space program manager at the University of Portsmouth, Great Britain, is of the opinion that African space science “very niche” is.
“When I try to replicate [what I do here] It will not work in Africa “he said to DW.” So I have to learn the physics of the equator. You have to understand what you do to do what you know. “
Sometimes it is a question of using various instruments for measuring region -specific data or the positioning of a satellite at a certain angle to achieve the best measurements. But ultimately it depends on the data of the data in Africa.
For example, take solar storms or space weather – which represents a global threat. A heavy solar storm has the potential to switch off national power networks, and this effect can be the same in more than one region.
Other effects can vary from region to region. In the northern latitudes of the planet, solar storms are a threat to radio signals such as communication between aircraft and floor control stations. In Nigeria, solar storms are considered a greater threat to the performance of oil pipelines, an important factor in its hydrocarbon economy.
However, put together both data records and everyone receives a more comprehensive picture of the effects of the sun weather.
“If parts of the earth are not sufficiently covered in other places, science is not complete”said Olumodimu. “We work together to make science effective.”
Olumodimu found that there were plans for a collaboration to design a satellite that measures room weather effects in the high and medium latitudies and at the same time in the equatorial region.
“If we have this type of data, it is easier to do what we call global science”he said.
In South Africa, the military is also concerned about the effects of the sun weather. It shares this data – for example with the European Space Agency, which then provides the data as a global service.
“Such services usually last for decades”says Thomas Weissenberg, an expert in external relationships in Africa at the European space agency. “A solar storm could hit satellites and simply destroy them. It could be the end of many straw observation satellites, communication satellites, Starlink and so on.”
Europe and Africa have been working on space projects for 30 years. In January 2025, the European Commission was recorded with a new Africa-EU world-dream partnership program worth € 100 million ($ 117 million).
“[Our partnership] has become more intensive in the past 5 to 8 years due to developments in Africa and Europe. Geopolitical reasons could also play a role “said Weissenberg in an interview for DW.
A new chapter: the African space agency
When the Africa Space Agency (AFSA) was inaugurated in Cairo, Egypt in April 2025, it may have shaped a new chapter in Africa’s space history. AFSA aims to bring countries together to work together, to share infrastructure and data.
“They have countries such as Egypt, Nigeria, Algeria and South Africa – some of their national space programs are more than two decades old”said Oniosun. “Then they have relatively young space programs – the Kenyan space agency was founded in 2017, Ethiopia and Rwanda. Countries like this are at a different level. Now everyone is talking to each other.”
It took 10 years for the African space agency to start, but now that it is open to business. African space scientists hope that it will improve African-centered space missionsTinsae Alemayehu/DW
Olumodimu differentiates between “Space burners” and “Raumstrangland”without insulting one of the younger space countries, as he added.
“When we started with the first communication satellite in Nigeria, part of the work in the Surrey Satellite Center in Great Britain was done and the start from Asia was done”said Olumodimu. “But at the moment there is a lot going on on the African continent.”
It is to be hoped that the AFSA will promote the transfer of knowledge and technology on the African continent, regardless of the level of expertise in a country. And it seems to work because everyone wants to work with Egypt, the host country of AFSA.
“Egypt’s ambitions are at the forefront [of space in Africa]”Said Olumodimu.
How Afsa’s assets will develop is, however “unsure”says Weissenberg. “Africa is even more complicated in Europe.”
The chances are good that you will be successful – if you alone for the fact that you support China.
“Yes, a word about Egypt”said Weissenberg, “You are smart. You started a strategic partnership with China.”
Weissenberg emphasizes that China had built the entire AFSA location from the buildings to the technical infrastructure. And in return for your investment “Get control of Africa. It’s so easy.”
Published by: Uwe Hessler
