Kenya launched its first ever operational Earth observation satellite, becoming the latest African nation to achieve the milestone in the continent’s nascent space industry.
The nanosatellite dubbed Taifa-1 was among the dozens of spacecraft carried by SpaceX’s Falcon 9 rocket that lifted off on Saturday from Vandenberg Space Force Base, California, according to the Kenya Space Agency.
The space industry in Africa is slowly gaining traction with the help of new technologies, such as SpaceX’s smallsat rideshare program, that have reduced the cost of access. As of December, 52 satellites had been launched by 14 African countries, with Uganda and Zimbabwe sending theirs in November, according to consultancy firm SpaceHubs Africa.
