2023 in Review: Remarkable Feats from Djibouti’s Growing Space Programme

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Djibouti launched its space programme in 2020 with the plan to launch the Djibouti 1A and 1B, two earth observation nanosatellites to help the country access country-wide, real-time data from climatological stations.

In 2023, the country recorded various significant milestones that kept it on the top of the mind in the African space industry. First, in January, the Djiboutian government signed an MoU with the Hong Kong Aerospace Technology Group Limited and Touchroad International Holdings Group to develop an international commercial spaceport worth USD 1 billion in the northern Obock Region of Djibouti. In November 2023, it launched its first satellite, the Djibouti-1A.

Space in Africa interviewed Mr Aboubakar Hassan, the Djibouti Ministry of Higher Education and Research Secretary-General, to discuss the country’s goals and achievements for 2023 and the next phase of its space programme.

What are the primary goals and objectives of the Djibouti Ministry of Higher Education and Research for the country’s space programme? What specific goals did the ministry work towards in 2023?

The country’s goals are satellite infrastructure and capacity development. Though a small country with limited financial and human resources, we decided to venture into space technology. Moreover, we had an excellent technical partner in the Centre Spatial Universitaire Montpellier (CSUM) and started with a 1-unit cube satellite.

It was important that we did not buy the satellite but instead built it through a technology transfer arrangement so that our engineers could learn all aspects of satellite manufacturing and design, construct and test the Djibouti-1A satellite. The satellite was launched on 11th November atop the Falcon 9 rocket, and it was a massive achievement for us because it is our first satellite. Based on the success of the first one, we decided to build another. So, the Djibouti 1B satellite is ready and is waiting for the next launch window on the Transporter 10 in Q1 2024. The two nanosatellites will work together to give us EO data for climate monitoring. Various measurement stations nationwide will communicate with the satellites, and then we will receive data at our mission control centre. Before the satellites, we used traditional means to receive satellite data three times a year, but now, we can receive satellite data three times a day; that’s the Hydrosat project.

The collaboration with Hong Kong Aerospace Technology Group Limited and Touchroad International Holdings Group is arguably one of the ministry’s most impactful initiatives or collaborations in 2023. Could you touch on some of the details and the project’s progress?

At the beginning of the year, we signed an MoU with Hong Kong Aerospace Technology Group Limited and Touchroad International Holdings Group to build a spaceport in the North of Djibouti. The spaceport will have seven launch pads to launch seven satellites simultaneously and three testing facilities. We have the proposed location ready in the desert before the sea in Obock.

For us, the actual start is when we sign the contract, where the responsibilities of all involved parties are properly spelt out, and the project’s feasibility is confirmed. The Obock region is a great location, and we have the necessary laws and regulations that enable this sort of investment. However, we are waiting for the finer details of the contract to be ironed out. At this stage, we are waiting for the experts to take an accurate look at the location site (first week of December).

Furthermore, we intend to build an astronautical/space academy with the spaceport. We want to contribute significantly to the project and take responsibility for the spaceport; thus, our engineers will be fully involved. I’m unsure at this stage, but the academy could also provide satellite manufacturing knowledge for small satellite projects and ensure that we have Djiboutian staff participating in all the space activities of the Spaceport.

This year, Djibouti has collaborated with other foreign space actors, especially commercial actors and other space agencies, to advance the development of space infrastructures in the country. In 2024, what priority areas will the country be particular about regarding strategic partnerships? 

The first part of our space programme was building the two nano-satellites. Now that we have achieved that, we want to make another satellite, possibly a 12-unit satellite or a small micro-satellite. Because at this stage, we want to have a satellite with about a 1-metre resolution and use these images for socioeconomic purposes. Our next project is to build a satellite with improved capacity, and we have been considering various partners we could collaborate with on this.

What is the government doing to boost NewSpace participation in the local space ecosystem?

There is much work to be done on the Djiboutian space ecosystem nationally. Once we start getting tangible results and data from the satellites, the government’s interest in space will improve, and it will be easier to collaborate with other ministries and government institutions and influence the government to implement favourable policies for the Djiboutian space ecosystem. Many of our policy-makers are still sceptical about satellites and space.

We have prepared a space law and decrees allowing foreign companies to register satellites in Djibouti or build satellites there. It gives them a framework that is easier than other places. However, these legislations do not shortcut international rules, and we are doing everything by the book and are working hard to create a very enabling environment for foreign investment and commercial space activities in the country.  You can see our space laws here.

How much is the government likely to invest in the space programme in 2024?

 The country is looking towards building a larger satellite, and the budget would depend on the size of the satellite. However, from a personal standpoint, I’d say we need about USD 10 million for a 4-year period. However, we are a small country with limited resources, and space endeavours are capital-intensive, so we need to be able to justify the impact of these space projects on Djiboutians’ economy and lives.

One way to decrease the financial burden for African countries is collaboration and data sharing with fellow African countries. Two countries could enter a symbiotic relationship of sharing necessary satellite imagery and meeting each other’s data needs. In Djibouti, this is part of the second phase of our programme. For instance, Senegal is building its first satellite, and we have been considering sharing satellites so that our satellite covering the Senegal area can gather data for Senegal and vice versa. Various African countries could adopt the same strategy.

All African countries don’t need to start their space programmes from scratch or build a satellite because many other countries have already done this groundwork and have years of experience. The operationalisation of the African Space Agency could help many countries get the resources and knowledge needed to reach new levels of space development in Africa, and we are looking forward to being part of this.

The Djibouti 1 A and B projects were used to develop local space capabilities, with local engineers joining the Montpellier University Space Centre (CSUM) team to learn about the various aspects of satellite design and manufacturing and developing turnkey space technology solutions for the country. What other steps is the ministry putting into place to ensure STEM and space education is promoted to the country’s younger generation?

As I mentioned before, the spaceport will also include a space academy. In addition, the student engineers and technicians trained through our satellite projects were from Djibouti University. However, because Djibouti is a small country, we cannot train hundreds of engineers in one field because there are not enough job opportunities to utilise the knowledge they gain. We are only 1 million people, so we have to be very cautious with how we build our teams, and we decided that at this stage, ten is enough to build our space department. At the next stage, we could train ten more engineers. The upside is that, because of our small space teams, we can be more reactive in our operations. Also, there is a growing interest in geo-data engineering, teledetection, AI and more. We can train small numbers of engineers in the coming years to better utilise space data our satellites generate.

A consortium of American companies has demonstrated their interest in various aspects of the space industry, including rocket launch pads, horizontal launches, and the on-ground construction of micro-satellites. According to official sources, these proposals have caught the attention of the Djibouti government. The government is awaiting the official contracts to thoroughly evaluate these proposals’ relevance and potential benefits for the country. Can you give us any update on the proposals?

 Unfortunately, no. We have yet to see any Chinese or American contracts. We understand that a lot of work has to be done, parameters weighed and measured before anything is inked into place, so we are waiting. These projects are potentially huge investments that need financial and technical partners, and there are geopolitical considerations. The Chinese and Americans may have underestimated how much of an investment these projects would be. It might take some time, but we are confident things will work well for all involved parties. Nevertheless, the group we will work with is the first group to present us with a valuable offer. We are open to partners from the East and West. Our priorities are whatever aligns with our national interests. 

What is the update on the intended space agency? When would that be made official?

At this stage, it is not necessary for us to have a space agency. However, in the next phase of our programme, which starts at the beginning of 2024, a space agency would be helpful if we began with a much bigger satellite or spaceport. Nevertheless, we should only build institutions when they are required or needed. All the processes for launching the space agency have already been implemented, but we will only establish it when needed. The agency is a means to an end, not the goal.

What are your priorities in 2024? Should we look forward to any exciting projects/programmes?

We will start the second phase of our space programme with a 12-unit cubesat or something bigger. We are looking for newer opportunities, as well. We already have some reliable partners, but we are open to better offers from other interested parties, provided it benefits our national interests.

Based on the country’s space framework, the programme’s first phase just ended. Would you say the milestones for this phase were all achieved?

We achieved even much more than we originally planned for. The first phase was designed only to build the first satellite, but we built two. The first was with our French partners at CSUM, but the second was almost entirely built by our engineers and technicians using the knowledge gained from the first project. The first satellite took us one and a half years, while the second was built in only six months. We will focus on satellite testing facilities for the second or third phase. It’s a capital-intensive project, but we could consider installing the required testing equipment and facilities as we continue producing small satellites.

How long should each phase take?

The first phase took three years, 2020 – 2023, though the COVID-19 pandemic hampered it. The second phase is estimated to take three to four years for a much bigger satellite, with three years to build it and a year to await launch. I can only say a little about the third phase right now because it is heavily dependent on the results of the second phase and whatever needs arise in that time. We may link the spaceport and our space programme in the third stage.  

Djibouti launched its first satellite, Djibouti 1A, on 11th November 2023, from the Vandenberg Space Force Base onboard the SpaceX Transporter-9 dedicated SSO rideshare mission.