Djibouti, a country located in the Horn of Africa, has achieved a significant milestone by successfully launching its first satellite, Djibouti 1A, from the Vandenberg Space Force Base.
Embarking on the SpaceX Transporter-9 dedicated SSO rideshare mission, Djibouti has become the first nation in the region to venture into space technology.
The development and construction of Djibouti 1A were made possible through a joint capacity-building program between Djibouti and its technical partner, the Centre Spatial Universitaire de Montpellier (CSUM).
Djiboutian engineers and technicians, working alongside their counterparts in France, meticulously designed, constructed, and thoroughly tested the satellite.
In March, Djibouti 1A successfully passed vibration tests conducted jointly by CSUM and Latecoere at a facility in France. The results demonstrated that the test levels and duration met the stringent launch parameters, ensuring the satellite’s readiness for its groundbreaking journey.
Mr. Nabil Mohamed Ahmed, the Djibouti Minister of Higher Education and Research, expressed his pride in the achievement.
“We have put in place all the necessary elements to succeed in this project: firstly, the selection of Djiboutian students, because the objective was to make the satellite but not to buy it, and have it manufactured by our students to make this technological leap and say in an uninhibited way that Djibouti is capable of manufacturing a satellite, launching it, collecting results for the climate but also getting started in development perspectives. The result is that 10 technicians and engineers were trained.”
Under this project, the training of 10 engineers and technicians played a pivotal role in the successful development and launch of the satellite. This dedicated team collaborated with various companies involved in all aspects of satellite design, manufacturing, and launch, contributing to the enhancement of software capabilities.
Djibouti 1A brings invaluable benefits to the nation, enabling access to real-time data from climatological and seismic stations across the country.
This includes crucial information such as temperature, rainfall, river depth, and hydrometry, empowering policymakers with a comprehensive understanding of environmental conditions nationwide.
