Assisting Development across the African Continent Using Space Applications

Abstract

This paper will present the conclusions of International Space University's 2012 Masters program Team Project on Space and Africa. Remote sensing applications, spin-off technologies, and even self-sustaining commercial industries can bring benefits to many countries. In addition to those countries with an already well-established space industry, there exists a need to demonstrate how space can be used in assisting in the sustained socio-economic development of underdeveloped or developing nations, and answering the question of how these applications or technologies can assist countries with little or no space development. The Identifying and Developing Effective Applications of Space for Africa (IDEAS for Africa) team from the 2011-2012 Masters program at the International Space University in Strasbourg, France, has assessed how space can contribute to improve the sustained social and economic development in Africa. Using three dissimilar African countries as examples, the IDEAS team proposes space spin-off technologies, satellite applications, and space business potentials applicable in fostering development. Each area: spin-off technologies, satellite applications, and space business potentials - was analyzed for each of the three example African nations. South Africa, Morocco, and Liberia were selected not only based on their respective levels of space development, but also because they differ geographically, socially, economically, and politically. Consequently, a broad comparative analysis can be performed by investigating the effects of space activities for these three selected countries. Additionally, due to the dissimilarity of the three countries, parallels can be drawn to other nations which are at comparable levels of development, to show how space can be used to drive development across the African continent.

Keywords: International Space University, Space Applications, Africa, Development, Remote Sensing, Spin-Offs,