By Stephanie Dwilson | 2025-10-23

The African Development Satellite (AfDevSat) project is on track to launch its first hyperspectral-imaging nanosatellite, a breakthrough that analysts say could redefine Africa’s role in global space development.

The Earth-observation CubeSat, expected to embark on an Earth-imaging mission by early 2026, is the product of a landmark collaboration among Egypt, Ghana, Kenya, Nigeria, Sudan and Uganda.

By working together and pooling resources, the six nations aim to expand domestic and regional satellite manufacturing, build indigenous expertise and reduce reliance on outside providers.

They are working toward building a self-sustaining African space industry and collectively addressing space domain challenges.

"Space is rapidly emerging as a strategic frontier for African countries," Nigerian space scientist and Space in Africa founder Temidayo Oniosun wrote in a September 9 analysis for the Africa Center for Strategic Studies.

This is because the space domain enables "concrete contributions to national security, socioeconomic development, and resilience against transnational threats," including through enhanced border monitoring, he wrote.

"Africa's ability to realize the national security, communications, development, and disaster mitigation benefits from satellites and other space technology relies on optimizing opportunities for collaboration," he noted.

Egypt's key role

Egypt is the primary integration and testing hub for the AfDevSat project, and is positioning itself as a focal point for future satellite development on the African continent, according to Space in Africa.

In January, the Egyptian Space Agency hosted a 10-day space technology and satellite systems workshop in Cairo for 21 engineers from 20 African nations.

Egypt launched the AfDev-Sat project in August 2019 during the Africa Space Forum in Yokohama, Japan, and hosted an inaugural training session in the summer of 2021, according to Space in Africa.

This saw representatives from the participating countries join Egyptian Space Agency engineers to design and develop the project's first satellite, which is is now nearing completion.

Once it is deployed, the satellite will support disaster management, track agricultural development, and oversee resource management by providing high-quality Earth Observation data to African nations.

The project's long-term goal is to develop and launch a network of small satellites, which could eventually serve as the foundation for a constellation of African-built satellites that would help shape the future of space innovation.

"This milestone marks a defining moment in Africa’s space journey, showing what is possible when nations unite around a shared vision," the Kenya Space Agency said in a statement.

"The success of AfDevSat not only strengthens Africa’s space capabilities but also serves as an inspiration to the next generation of scientists, engineers, and innovators across the continent."

Collaborative effort

Each of the six nations is developing a satellite subsystem and contributing an interconnected ground station. And each is bringing expertise to the CubeSat’s development, ensuring it is technically robust.

Kenya is developing the satellite's electrical power subsystem (EPS), which includes a power generation board to harvest solar energy, a power distribution board, and a battery management system.

Uganda is developing the CubeSAT's onboard computer subsystem, and Nigeria is helping to refine the attitude determination and control system (ADCS).

Ghana is working on specific subsystems, building on its previous CubeSat projects, including GhanaSat-1, which launched in 2017.

Sudan also is building on a legacy of space domain projects, including its Institute of Space Research and Aerospace, which is focused on development and research in space science and aerospace technology.

Sudan's first remote sensing satellite (SRSS-1) was launched in 2019.