Senegal achieved a historic milestone on Friday evening with the successful launch of its first satellite from California. This achievement places Senegal among just 12 African countries with their own satellites for surveillance and telecommunications. President Bassirou Diomaye Faye underscored that this represents a major step towards the nation’s technological self-sufficiency.
He conveyed his pride and gratitude in a post on X, acknowledging everyone who contributed to the project’s success. Maram Kaïré, the director of Senegal’s space agency, hailed the launch as a significant achievement and a historic moment for the country’s progress towards becoming a space-faring nation.
The GAINDESAT-1A, developed by Senegalese engineers in partnership with France’s Montpellier University Space Centre, was launched into orbit alongside 115 other satellites from California’s Vandenberg base aboard a SpaceX Falcon 9 rocket. This nanosatellite will gather crucial data for various state agencies, including those focused on water resources, civil aviation, and meteorology.