Uganda's journey into space exploration is marked by both ambitious early ideas and recent concrete achievements. This article delves into the history of Uganda's space program, from its initial aspirations to the successful launch of its first satellite.
PearlAfricaSat-1, Uganda's first satellite.
Early Ambitions and International Collaboration
Africa has had launch sites since 1947, with the first independent space programs being set up early into the Space Age. African countries participated within the United Nations in developing international space law.
Uganda joined the first two international space law treaties, ratifying the Partial Nuclear Test Ban Treaty on March 24, 1964, and acceding to the Outer Space Treaty on April 24, 1968.
The development of Ugandan space initiatives has been largely shaped by that country's position on the equator. Uganda has never acquired any ballistic missile capability, the usual precursor to booster development.
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Recent Developments and Satellite Launches
When Uganda's very first satellite was launched into space on Nov. 7, Bonny Omara, the lead engineer on the satellite development team, was filled with emotion. "I was watching it on TV, together with my Honourable Minister for Science, Technology and Innovation," he says. "It was really amazing and we hugged each other! To see my baby takeoff from the ground headed for the International Space Station - it's really a great feeling of my life."
The satellite developed by Omara and his team, named PearlAfricaSat-1, was launched aboard a Northrop Grumman Cygnus resupply spacecraft, which lifted off from NASA's Wallops Flight Facility in Virginia. The Ugandan satellite was recently handed over to NASA to be transported to the international space station from where it was scheduled to be launched into the low earth orbit - which unfolded in December.
In addition, the rocket was also carrying ZimSat-1, Zimbabwe's first satellite. Both satellites were developed through the Joint Global Multi-Nation Birds Project 5, BIRDS-5, in collaboration with the Kyushu Institute of Technology in Japan. It was envisioned by Dr. Mengu Cho, Professor at Kyutech, who became the Principal Investigator for the Project.
The Ugandan scientists who participated in its development are three students; Eng. Edgar MUJUNI, Eng. Derrick TEBUSWEKE and Eng.
Omara, when asked about collaborating with engineers from Zimbabwe and Japan, says, "I feel really great to work with our neighbors in Africa ... to have a team of engineers and great men joining hands to work together towards attaining a common goal."
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Uganda and Zimbabwe join an ever growing number of African countries that are building up their space technology capabilities. To date, 52 satellites have been launched by 14 African countries, including the two launched last week.
The satellites, which have by now reached the International Space Station, are set to be deployed over the next few weeks, depending upon environmental conditions. It is a historic moment for the two countries, who now hope the data collected by the satellites will help improve life on the ground.
The BIRDS-5 satellite constellation developed by Uganda, Zimbabwe, and Japan sits on table prior to launch. The Joint Global Multi-Nation Birds Project-5 (BIRDS-5 Project) Ugandan team conducts multi spectral camera testing.BIRDS-5 is a constellation of CubeSats developed by Uganda, Zimbabwe, and Japan that will be deployed from the space station.
Since 2015, the Japanese Kyushu Institute of Technology, or Kyutech, has been carrying out the BIRDS program with the goals of capacity building and fostering a long-term and sustainable space organization in participating nations.
Uganda’s 1st Satellite, PearlAfricaSat 1
The Role of CubeSats and Earth Observation
Uganda's satellite is small, but packs a punch. While small - only a bit larger than a Rubik's cube - CubeSats can still pack a big punch.
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They're called CubeSats - and their small size and low cost to develop makes them perfect first satellites for nations developing their space technology sectors. However, there is one downside to CubeSats. Their lifetime of operation is only about 24 to 30 months. So unless Uganda and Zimbabwe commit to building and launching more of these satellites, the benefits will be short-lived.
However, Uganda and Zimbabwe's satellites won't be providing wireless services to anyone. Instead, they've been developed for the purposes of earth observation. "[The satellites] have a multispectral camera, which allows the satellite to essentially take pictures of the Earth," says Sumah.
Multispectral cameras can take pictures that capture information from wavelengths of light not visible to the human eye. What this does is provide data that can help determine the health of land for the agricultural sector, among other things.
Omara says the multispectral camera will be used to "perform analysis of water quality, land use cover, and soil fertility." That information will then be provided to citizens so that they can make the best use of the natural resources in their countries.
According to Dr. “The statistical data collected could help distinguish bare ground from forests and farmland and possibly indicate the quality of agricultural growth. This could help improve the livelihood of citizens of Ugandan,” says Dr.
Sumah says that one of the main purposes of a satellite Ghana launched in 2019 was to "monitor illegal mining that was occurring in the north of Ghana." And all of those capabilities are made possible by a satellite that only measures 10cm in each direction.
CubeSat Architecture.
The Future of Space Technology in Africa
The satellites launched by Uganda and Zimbabwe aren't the first satellites launched by African nations, and they won't be the last. According to Sumah, "Ethiopia is looking to launch a new satellite, as well as Nigeria and Ghana," all hopefully within the next year.
Despite plans for future launches by African nations, Sumah is a bit hesitant to suggest bigger things are unquestionably on the way. "I'm hoping that these are not just one-off events that are just used for PR, but that there's a sustained momentum that helps lead the charge for Africa to really maximize the use of these new technologies," he says.
At least with respect to Uganda, Omara believes one thing will help make sure this new foray into space will be sustainable. "A couple of countries have launched their first satellite, or even many, by paying money to other institutions who then give them the satellite," he says.
Even though the human capital is there to provide sustainable development of satellites, Omara thinks there's still more political and social investment needed before space technologies in Africa can fully mature. "In the field of science and technology on the African continent, we are still limping," he says. "The reason is very simple - it's because we do not believe in ourselves. I always tell everyone that we can make it, we have every single resource that we need.
It is safe to say that Uganda is on the brink of a great evolution after initiating this space adventure, the sky is not the limit.
A decade ago, the idea of an African space program or African space agency might be met with disbelief, even laughter. That same attitude toward Africa tends to dominate even today. But the reality of Africa is diverging significantly from the old tropes.
Today, eight African countries have space agencies, space centers or mission control facilities. Several others, including Uganda and Ghana, are in the process of launching theirs.
Currently the continent’s largest economy, South Africa has increased its spending on space sciences to €127.4 million, according to Professor Nithaya Chetty, group executive for South Africa’s National Research Foundation. In Africa as a whole, he estimates current spending at € 153.8 million.
Africa has a two-century long history of engagement with scientific astronomy, Chetty noted.
Table: African Countries with Space Programs
| Country | Number of Satellites Launched (as of 2022) |
|---|---|
| South Africa | 11 |
| Egypt | 10 |
| Algeria | 6 |
| Nigeria | 6 |
| Morocco | 3 |
| Ethiopia | 2 |
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