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Senegal Joins Exclusive List of African Nations with Satellites

By SG Editor·
International Space Station orbiting above Earth’s atmosphere.

The International Space Station orbits Earth, showcasing advanced space technology and global scientific collaboration.

Senegal has become one of only 12 African nations to have a surveillance and telecommunications satellite with the launch of its first satellite, GAINDESAT-1A, from California’s Vandenberg base. The nanosatellite, developed by Senegalese engineers in collaboration with France’s Montpellier University Space Centre, was deployed into orbit via SpaceX’s Falcon 9 rocket. It will collect data for various state agencies, including those managing water resources, civil aviation, and meteorology. According to Maram Kaïré, director of Senegal’s space agency, the launch is a historic moment in Senegal’s journey to becoming a space-faring nation. Senegal’s president, Bassirou Diomaye Faye, also hailed the event as a significant step toward the country’s “technological sovereignty.”

SOURCE: AFRICA NEWS