For the first time in the African Space Industry, a group of African engineers and scientists are set to work together to design and build satellites to foster African development.

Over the years, developed countries have explored and used Space Technology in diverse ways for their development.

The First Africa Constellation Satellite Network (AFCONSAT) is established as a platform to train and develop human capital as a resource for the continent to pursue space-based missions to enhance development.

The mission is to realize a collaborative effort between African countries to demonstrate the use of space science and satellite technology as an effective tool to enhance agriculture, economic security, weather and climate monitoring, disaster management, public health and environmental safety, therefore, pursuing the sustainable development goals for African development.

The All Nations University – Space Systems Technology Laboratory (ANU-SSTL), Koforidua, Ghana which is anchoring the AFCONSAT project developed and launched Ghana’s first satellite called GhanaSat-1 into space on June 3, 2017 which carried an earth observation mission. 

The laboratory in 2014 established a satellite Ground Station at the university premises which has been communicating and receiving data from satellite passing over the region.

The laboratory also hosts the NASA Aerosol Robotic Network (AERONENT) instrument which is used to measure atmospheric particles over Ghana. 

The ANU-SSTL will offer these facilities for capacity building purposes. Institutions from these countries which are renowned in engineering are participating and are taking the opportunity to develop the first satellite for their country.  

During the 8th Space Science and Satellite Application (SSSTA) conference in Koforidua, the All Nations University hosted the AFCONSAT participants and concluded on a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) with them. 

The institutions include the University of ”‹Norbert Zongo, Koudougou, Burkina Faso, the Africa Geospatial-intelligence Agency, Lome, Togo, Institute National Polytechnique Felix Houphouet-Biogny, Yamoussoukro, Cote D’Ivoire and the University of Sierra Leone, Freetown, Sierra Leone. 

According to the schedule, the first set of the constellation of the satellite will be launched into orbit by February 2021. 

The development of the satellites will be done by delegates from each participating country at the ANU-SSTL laboratory in Koforidua, Ghana. 

The Satellites will be launched as a group into the same orbit and will be operated in a constellation.

This will provide a unique opportunity for Ghana and the rest of the African countries to use and share the satellite data.