Senegal recently marked a historic milestone with the successful launch of its first satellite, GAINDESAT-1A.
The nanosatellite was launched at 18:56 GMT from the Vandenberg Space Force Base in California aboard SpaceX's Falcon 9 rocket as part of the Transporter 11 rideshare mission.
This achievement is the result of five years of dedicated work by Senegalese engineers and technicians, who were trained in collaboration with the Centre Spatiale Universitaire de Montpellier (CSUM).
President Bassirou Diomaye Faye expressed his pride and gratitude, stating, "The result of five years of hard work by our engineers and technicians, this advance marks a major step towards our technological sovereignty."

He emphasized that the launch represents a major leap forward for Senegal's national space program, SENSAT, which aims to support the country's socio-economic development through the use of space technology.
GAINDESAT-1A's primary mission is to collect data for various state agencies, including the Directorate for Water Resource Management and Planning and the National Civil Aviation and Meteorology Agency. This data will be crucial for improving resource management, weather forecasting, and aviation safety in Senegal.
The journey to this launch has been fraught with delays. Initially planned for 2019, the launch was postponed multiple times due to the COVID-19 pandemic and other logistical challenges. However, the perseverance of the Senegalese team has paid off, culminating in this landmark event.
In October 2023, Senegal completed the construction of a space control center in Diamniadio, in partnership with France's Centre national d'études spatiales (CNES) and aerospace company ArianeGroup. This facility will play a crucial role in operating GAINDESAT-1A and future satellites under the SENSAT program.
Senegal joins the ranks of African nations with satellites in orbit, contributing to the continent's growing presence in space.
As of February 2024, 15 African countries had launched a total of 59 satellites. With 125 new satellites planned for development across 23 African countries by 2025, the African space industry is projected to be valued at $22.64 billion by 2026.
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