Space has become an attractive frontier for African countries that have launched satellites based on scientific, technological or military ambitions.

Nigeria uses satellite technology in its fight against the terrorist group Boko Haram, attempting to record movement in the region where the Jihadist group is most active. South Africa uses satellites to monitor the weather and evaluate images of forest fires.

Here are 5 African countries with a presence in space or plans to launch satellites in the near future:

Nigeria

Along with South Africa, Nigeria’s space program is more advanced than its African peers. Nigeria has launched four satellites into space, with three still operational and one deorbited after completing its objectives. Nigeria launched its first earth observation satellite, NigeriaSat-1, in September 2003.

Launched by Kosmos-3M rocket from Russian Plesetsk spaceport, it cost the country $30 million, AllAfrica reports. That was followed by the launch of Africa’s first communications satellite, NigComSat-1, built and launched in China in 2007.

Earth observation satellites NigeriaSat-2 and NigeriaSat-X were then sent into orbit by the Ukrainian Dnepr rocket from Yasny military base in Russia on August, 17, 2011. These have been used to monitor activities of terrorist group Boko Haram, according to DW.

South Africa

In December 2018, South Africa launched the continent’s most advanced nanosatellite into space to monitor and manage disasters such as fires and assist the ocean economy.

The ZACube-2 nanosatellite provides state-of-the-art remote sensing and communication services to South Africa and the southern African region, according to Techcentral. That is the second government-owned nanosatellite South Africa has launched into space. The first was the TshepisoSat, which was launched in 2013, according to theSAASTA.

Angola

Angola’s first satellite was launched in December 2017 but declared defunct by Russia four months later. The AngoSat-1, a communications satellite built for almost $300 million, was launched from the Baikonur cosmodrome in Kazakhstan. The project had several technical issues after launch. Russian company RSC Energia, which built the satellite on behalf of Angola, committed to building a more powerful replacement at no cost, thanks to AngoSat-1’s insurance policy, according to AlJazeera.

Ghana

Ghana’s first satellite was launched into orbit in 2017 from the International Space Station. GhanaSat-1 was developed by students at All Nations University in Koforidua, Ghana. The satellite launch was a two-year project, costing $500,000, according to BBC. The successful project was supported by the Japanese Space Agency which also helped launch Kenya’s first satellite in 2018.

Egypt

Four private NileSat satellites were launched into orbit as communication satellites between 1998 and 2010. In addition, Egypt has launched three government-owned satellites into space. Only one is operational. In February 2019 the EgyptSat-A high-resolution earth observation satellite was launched into space.

It was developed by Russian corporation RSC Energia on behalf of Egypt’s National Authority for Remote Sensing and Space Sciences, according to Spaceflight. That satellite was a replacement for the EgyptSat 2, an imaging satellite built by RSC Energia that launched in April 2014. It was lost later that month due to a flight control system failure and was replaced by the Russian company in 2019.

The EgyptSat 1, Egypt’s first earth remote sensing satellite, was built jointly by Egypt’s National Authority for Remote Sensing and Space Sciences and the Yuzhnoye Design Bureau in Ukraine. It was launched in 2007 but communication and control of the satellite was lost in 2010.

Wow

Ethiopia too

Waow.
So Nigeria is still leading in Africa, that is a commendable one to The Giant of Africa

Africa making baby steps

Hope our generations make a greater and more powerful impact in the world