Africa’s Participation at the 76th International Astronautical Congress

The 76th International Astronautical Congress (IAC), held in Sydney, Australia, from September 29 to October 3, 2025, brought together over 7,000 delegates from 90 countries, further reinforcing its position as one of the most significant gatherings of space professionals globally. Organised by the International Astronautical Federation (IAF) and hosted by the Space Industry Association of Australia (SIAA), with co-hosting support from the Australian Space Agency and the New South Wales (NSW) Government, the congress provided an exceptional platform for international collaboration and knowledge exchange. This year’s congress, themed “Sustainable Space: Resilient Earth,” explored the critical connection between space innovation and sustainability, focusing on three central areas: space-based applications for Earth, sustainable space activities, and sustaining life beyond Earth.

Over the five-day programme, Sydney became a pivotal venue for space practitioners worldwide, featuring powerful cultural showcases, groundbreaking agreements, and visionary plenary sessions that collectively shaped the future of the global space industry. The event underscored the increasing importance of international collaboration in addressing both terrestrial and extraterrestrial challenges through space technology.

Africa’s Strong Representation at IAC 2025

Africa was duly represented at the congress, with delegates participating in critical discussions, innovation showcases, and technical presentations across various thematic areas. African students, researchers, early-career professionals, heads of space agencies, representatives of commercial companies, and seasoned experts delivered presentations on salient topics through both oral and interactive presentation formats, demonstrating the continent’s growing expertise and commitment to advancing its space capabilities.

The African presence at IAC 2025 reflected the continent’s continued investment in space technology as a tool for addressing developmental challenges and enhancing critical economic sectors. Furthermore, African delegates engaged in high-level bilateral meetings, policy discussions, and networking opportunities that positioned each nation represented and the continent collectively as increasingly influential players in the global space ecosystem.

National Pavilions: Showcasing Africa’s Space Sector

The IAC provides countries and commercial space companies with a valuable platform to strengthen and expand bilateral relationships with other space agencies and institutions. These partnerships are essential in the space sector, creating new collaborative opportunities for national space programmes, particularly in areas such as research and development, technology and innovation, skills development, and skills exchange, thereby leaving a lasting impact on the global space community.

Angola’s First National Pavilion at IAC

Angola marked a historic milestone at the IAC 2025 by hosting its first national pavilion at the congress. While this year represented Angola’s fourth consecutive participation at the IAC, having a dedicated national pavilion signified a major advancement in the country’s space programme development and international engagement strategy. The Angolan pavilion provided a comprehensive platform for the country to showcase its space ambitions, engage with international partners, and explore collaborative opportunities that will support the continued growth of its national space programme.

South African Pavilion

The South African National Space Agency (SANSA) and ZASPACE hosted the South African pavilion, continuing their annual tradition of showcasing the nation’s space sector at the IAC. The South African Space Pavilion serves as a premier platform for highlighting the country’s space capabilities at the most significant space event of the year.

The pavilion featured several leading South African space companies, including NewSpace Systems, CubeSpace, MuraSpace, Research Institute for Innovation and Sustainability (RIIS), Simera Sense, EMSS Antennas, and SCS Space. These companies demonstrated their latest innovations and technologies, reinforcing South Africa’s position as a leader in the African space industry. In addition, their presence at the IAC highlighted the country’s robust commercial space ecosystem and its contributions to global space missions.

African Participation in the IAF Global Space Leaders Summit

The IAF Global Space Leaders Summit is an exclusive venue for strategic dialogue among the heads of the world’s space agencies and national space offices. This distinguished forum convenes key decision-makers who collectively shape the future of space policy, exploration, and cooperation on a global scale. The second edition of the Global Space Leaders Summit, held on the sidelines of the IAC 2025 in Sydney, built on the achievements of the inaugural summit held during the IAC 2024 in Milan.

This year’s summit featured notable African participation, including Dr Zolana Joao, General Manager of the Angolan Space Program Management Office (GGPEN). During the Summit, Dr Zolana Joao made a compelling case for a truly inclusive global space governance model. He highlighted that out of 60 space agencies represented at the summit, only three were from Africa, emphasising the urgent need for global space governance to include Africa and embrace greater African participation. His remarks underscored the importance of ensuring that emerging space nations, particularly those in Africa, have a meaningful voice in shaping international space policy and frameworks.

Furthermore, during the Artemis Accords intervention session, Dr Joao reaffirmed Angola’s role as the 33rd signatory to the Accords. He emphasised Angola’s readiness to partner with fellow African nations under the Artemis framework to advance transparency, peaceful cooperation, and innovation in space exploration. His statement reinforced Africa’s commitment to participating in international space initiatives that promote responsible and sustainable space activities.

Strategic Partnerships and Memoranda of Understanding

The IAC 2025 served as a catalyst for forging new collaborations and strengthening existing partnerships between African space agencies and international partners.

Angola’s Expanded International Partnerships

IAC 2025 enabled Angola to advance partnerships with several prominent international space organisations, including the Brazilian Space Agency (AEB), ArkEdge Space (Japan), and the European Space Agency (ESA). Notably, Angola and the South African National Space Agency (SANSA) signed their Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) implementation plan, a significant milestone in intra-African space cooperation. Dr Zolana Joao expressed gratitude for SANSA’s trust in the partnership, emphasising that collaborative efforts between African nations will accelerate the continent’s collective progress in space development.

SANSA’s Growing International Footprint

The South African National Space Agency (SANSA) Chief Executive Officer, Mr Humbulani Mudau, and Mr Madin Maseeh, President of the Maldives Space Research Organisation (MSRO), signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) during the congress. The agreement aims to establish a cooperative framework and facilitate collaboration in areas of mutual interest, including capacity building in astronomy, Earth observation, and ground station operations.

In addition, South Africa explored further discussions with China, expanding their collaboration on lunar and remote sensing missions. The partnership includes exploring collaboration avenues with entities such as Star.Vision to develop upstream capabilities and improve South Africa’s satellite fleet. Furthermore, the collaboration encompasses exploration initiatives, with South Africa hoping to have a payload on China’s Chang’e-8 mission, planned for launch in 2028 or early 2029. These partnerships demonstrate South Africa’s strategic approach to leveraging international cooperation to advance its space capabilities and scientific research objectives.

Technical Presentations and Scientific Achievements

Africa’s innovation was prominently showcased at the IAC 2025, where leading commercial space companies, research institutions, and emerging startups presented their latest breakthroughs across multiple space technology domains. The breadth and depth of African participation demonstrated the continent’s expanding capabilities across the entire space value chain, from advanced propulsion systems and state-of-the-art receivers for radio telescopes to advanced satellite components and Earth observation applications, as well as communications infrastructure. These presentations underscored Africa’s transition from a consumer of space technology to an active contributor and innovator in the global space market.

The diversity of African innovations on display reflected the continent’s strategic approach to developing indigenous space capabilities that address both local developmental needs and contribute to global scientific advancement. Furthermore, the participation of African researchers and engineers in technical sessions across various disciplines, including satellite systems engineering, remote sensing, telecommunications, and space propulsion, highlighted the growing expertise within Africa’s space workforce.

For example, the Aerospace Systems Research Institute (ASRI) team delivered technical presentations on the Phoenix hot-fire and flight tests, as well as on-orbit thruster work using Hydroxylammonium Nitrate (HAN)-based propulsion. The presentations highlighted ASRI’s significant advancements in developing environmentally friendly propulsion technologies for small satellites, positioning South Africa at the forefront of green space propulsion research. 

Angola unveiled GEDAE, an ambitious newspace project developed in partnership with Africell Group. The project fuses Earth observation data and high-throughput satellite communications to address critical developmental needs in Angola and the broader African region. GEDAE’s core mission is to maximise the value of geospatial data, providing actionable insights for the modernisation of the public and private sectors. By leveraging high-resolution satellite imagery, AI, and machine learning, the centre delivers real-time, high-precision data solutions tailored to critical sectors, including agriculture, urban planning, environment, security & defence, and energy & mining

Election of Gaspard Twagirayezu as IAF Vice President

The International Astronautical Federation (IAF) General Assembly approved the recommendation of its Nomination Committee, electing four new Vice Presidents during the congress. Among them is Gaspard Twagirayezu, Chief Executive Officer of the Rwanda Space Agency, marking another historic milestone for African representation in the IAF’s leadership structure. The other newly elected Vice Presidents are Yusuf Kirac, President of the Turkish Space Agency; Nikol Koleva, Executive Director of the Space Generation Advisory Council; and Michael López-Alegría, Chief Astronaut. Each Vice President will serve a three-year term.

Twagirayezu’s election to this prestigious position reflects the growing recognition of Africa’s contributions to the global space industry and underscores the continent’s increasing influence in international space governance. His leadership will be instrumental in ensuring that African perspectives and priorities are integrated into the IAF’s strategic vision and activities. Furthermore, this appointment is expected to facilitate greater collaboration between African space agencies and the broader international space community, creating new opportunities for partnerships and knowledge exchange.

Conclusion

Africa’s participation in the 76th International Astronautical Congress demonstrated the continent’s growing role and influence in the global space industry. With strong representation from government officials, commercial space companies, research institutions, and emerging space professionals, Africa showcased its commitment to advancing its space capabilities and fostering international collaborations. The strategic partnerships announced at the congress, combined with the election of African leadership to key international positions, mark significant milestones in Africa’s space journey. As the continent continues to invest in space technology and infrastructure, events like the IAC provide crucial platforms for African nations to engage with the global space community, share innovations, and shape the future of space exploration and utilisation for sustainable development.