The inauguration of the African Space Agency on January 25 signaled a decades-long quest to establish a continental body to lead space activities in Africa.
Meanwhile, the success of African countries in this field was already noticeable back at the end of the 20th century, when Egypt became the first African country to launch its NILESAT-101 satellite into orbit in 1998. A year later, South Africa repeated the achievement.
To date, according to the latest data from consulting firm Spacehubs Africa, 15 African countries have launched a total of 50 satellites.
Sputnik Africa introduces the African nations that boast orbiting satellites.
Africa's first artificial satellite was launched by Egypt on April 28, 1998. The North African country has launched a total of ten satellites to date.
South Africa has an even higher number of launched satellites - 12, leading the continent in this respect. Its first artificial satellite, SUNSAT, was launched in 1999, but communication with the craft was lost three years later.
Morocco and Kenya have twice as few spacecraft launched into orbit (three each). Kenya equaled the kingdom this April by sending TAIFA-1 into orbit.
Ethiopia and Angola boast two launched artificial satellites. Ethiopia's first satellite was launched in 2019, while Angola sent a vehicle built by the Russian company RKK Energia two years before that.
Seven African countries, namely Ghana, Mauritius, Rwanda, Sudan, Tunisia, Uganda and Zimbabwe, have one satellite each.
In 2017, the African Union adopted the African Space Agency Act that designed the African Space Agency, a governance structure and strategy for continental-wide space activities. In January 2023, the AU formally inaugurated the agency.