About us
Our story
Without satellites, within hours, most of the planet’s surface, sea and air traffic would grind to a halt, the global economy would shut down, and most countries would declare a state of emergency.
With plans for the coming decade including new space stations, crews returning to the Moon, permanent lunar bases as well as missions to Mars, the space economy is experiencing exponential growth as space exploration continues to drive innovation and advance our society. However, Africa's role in this new era of exploration and economic development has been disproportionately small.
While people in Africa constitute almost 20 percent of the global population with projections that by 2030 nearly half of global youth will be African, and in spite of the establishment of over a dozen national space agencies across the continent in the past decades, including the African Space Agency in 2023, less than a percentage of satellites in Earth orbit are African-owned, the continent has had no official participation in a decades-long international programme of human habitation in Earth orbit, and has led no space exploration mission to date.
Africa’s limited participation in space results in economic loss, dependence on foreign countries for critical satellite data, weaker climate and disaster preparedness, and reduced support for agriculture and food security. It increases technological dependency, limits sovereignty in key areas like communications and security, and reduces Africa’s influence in shaping global space policy. This gap also slows STEM development, contributes to brain drain, and keeps the cost of connectivity as well as access to emergent technologies high. Overall, playing only a minor role in space holds back the continent’s economic growth, resilience and participation in global development.
Space is not far away; we are in space, evidenced most obviously by the day-night cycle as we travel around our Sun. Since 1957 with the launch of Sputnik - the first satellite - into Earth orbit, space technologies have become critical for the functioning of our society.
Our mission
Through a strategic framework built on four key pillars: science, innovation, education and infrastructure, the FSDA aims to solve societal challenges and drive Africa’s socio-economic growth by leveraging space technologies and the power of collaboration to drive sustainable development.
Through ambitious programmes, strategic partnerships and innovative funding models, the FDSA is not just preparing Africa for the future but actively shaping it through space technology.
In September 2024, the FDSA signed on as a member of China’s International Lunar Research Station partner network. Then in April 2025, the FDSA’s Africa2Moon mission was selected as an international payload to be deployed at the lunar south pole by China’s Chang’e-8 mission scheduled for 2029, elevating the FSDA from visionary to leader of African advancement in space. Bringing on mission partners including the South African National Space Agency (SANSA), the South African Radio Astronomy Observatory (SARAO) and a range of government, academic and industry organisations from across the continent, the FDSA demonstrates the power of collaboration to achieve world firsts and position Africa in not just a supporting role, but as a global partner and pioneer in the current era of space exploration.
Our programmes incorporate space-based technologies, ground-based infrastructure, research and education to do new science, advance engineering capabilities and address pressing issues such as digital inclusion, food security, climate change, disaster preparedness and space debris. Through its programmes, the Foundation also aims to inspire the next generation of African scientists, engineers and innovators to reach for world firsts. By placing a strong emphasis on collaboration, both intra-continental and global, the FDSA strives to advance the African space ecosystem, contribute to African resilience through space technologies, and elevate Africa from minor participant to global trailblazer in space.
The FDSA’s range of ambitious programmes prioritise community engagement and empowerment, ensuring that the benefits of our work in space are felt at the grassroots level. Through workshops, training sessions and resource sharing, we strive to cultivate a new generation of leaders in technology and innovation equipped with the skills, knowledge and experience necessary to drive progress, resilience and a spirit of exploration across Africa.
The Foundation for Space Development Africa (FSDA) is a non-profit organisation established in 2009 dedicated to advancing Africa’s role in the space sector.
