Côte d'Ivoire to launch first observation satellite

Côte d'Ivoire is set to launch its first observation satellite by August 2024.

According to the country's Minister of Scientific Research Adama Diawara, the government is working with Universal Konstructors Associated (UKA) and a polytechnic institute to launch its first satellite, the Yam-Sat CI 01.

"With our own satellite, we will be able to better observe the advance of terrorists, map the extent of deforestation, detect illegal gold panning, or even facilitate access to drinking water," explained UKA President Boubacar Fofana.

This project is part of the West African government's plans to grow its space industry and be self-reliant in space technology.

African satellites everywhere

The satellite launch is contributing to the trend of African nations working toward more scientific innovation and the development of space programs.

Côte d'Ivoire's Yam-Sat CI 01 is adding to the lists of other African countries with observation satellites in space, countries like Kenya, Zimbabwe, Uganda, Egypt and Angola have all launched satellites.

Egypt was the first African country to send a satellite into space in 1998; it was followed by Kenya, which launched its first experimental nano-satellite from the International Space Station in 2018.

The Yam-Sat CI 01 project is part of the West African country's government's plans to grow its space industry and be self-reliant in space technology. ( Source: Image by bingzhenzhen from Pixabay)

Space In Africa reports that as of 2022, at least 13 African countries had manufactured 48 satellites and 50 African satellites have been launched.

In November 2022, global telecoms and satellite provider OneWeb grew its presence in Africa, announcing three partnership deals with Airtel Africa, Q-KON Africa as well as Paratus Group in Angola.

OneWeb signed a distribution partnership with Airtel Africa to deliver high-speed, low-latency low-Earth orbit (LEO) connectivity services to government and enterprise customers across wide swathes of the continent.

Later, OneWeb announced a multi-year agreement deal with Paratus Group in Angola to build a satellite gateway in the capital Luanda.

Côte d'Ivoire's scheduled launch also follows the first two SES O3b mPOWER satellites that were successfully launched on a SpaceX Falcon 9 rocket from Cape Canaveral Space Force Station in Florida in December 2022.

The O3b mPOWER will help SES address current and future connectivity needs for governments, mobile network operators, energy companies, cruises and enterprises across the globe and in Africa.

In January 2023, the Djibouti government signed a $1 billion agreement with the Hong Kong Aerospace Technology Group (HKATG) to develop an international commercial spaceport in the northern Obock Region of Djibouti.

*Top image source: Image by Sketchepedia on Freepik.

— Matshepo Sehloho, Associate Editor, Connecting Africa