The African Space Agency (AfSA) is the second regional space agency after ESA and has been in development since 2015, with the African Union Commission adopting an African space policy and strategy in 2016.

The African Space Agency brings together the 55 member countries of the African Union to coordinate and implement Africa’s space ambitions. Its headquarters are in Egypt, which launched Africa’s first satellite in 1998. Since then, 18 African countries have launched a further 63 satellites and many African nations have implemented their own space programmes to the benefit of their people. AfSA has the goal of harnessing space science and technology for Africa’s socio-economic development, promoting collaborative research and the peaceful exploration of outer space.

The inauguration of AfSA came just prior to the start of this week’s NewSpace Africa conference, which brings together space agencies and space companies from around the world to discuss how space innovation can help empower Africa’s economy.