The country of Senegal has marked an historic milestone with the successful launch of its first satellite from California making it one of the just 12 African nations with their own surveillance and telecommunications satellites in space.
Speaking in a post on X, the country’s President Bassirou Diomaye Faye said the move marks a major step towards Senegal’s “technological sovereignty”.
Speaking further he said he would like to express his pride and gratitude to all those who made this possible.
Maram Kaïré, director of Senegal’s space agency, described the launch as “an important step and a historic day in our country’s progress and determination to become a space-faring nation”.
Senegal’s public broadcaster RTS said the satellite was designed and manufactured by Senegalese engineers, in partnership with the French Montpellier University Space Centre (CSUM). The broadcaster said a Falcon 9 rocket took off from Vandenberg base and launched a number of satellites, including the GAINDESAT-1A, into orbit.
It will notably contribute to climate monitoring, water resource management, weather forecasting, and air safety. This data will be used by various state agencies, such as the Directorate of Water Resource Management and Planning and the National Agency for Civil Aviation and Meteorology.
The success of Gaindesat-1A opens new prospects for Senegal both nationally and internationally. It enhances the country’s capabilities in science and technology while boosting innovation and research.
This technological advancement is also expected to encourage other space initiatives in Africa, contributing to the continent’s development in this strategic field.
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