Axelspace Signs MoUs with GSSTI and RCMRD to Advance Satellite Data Utilisation in Africa
Axelspace Corporation, a pioneer in microsatellite development and Earth observation (EO) data solutions, has signed separate Memoranda of Understanding (MoUs) with two key African institutions: the Ghana Space Science and Technology Institute (GSSTI) and the Regional Centre for Mapping of Resources for Development (RCMRD), to advance cooperation in leveraging satellite-based EO data to address pressing socio-economic and environmental challenges across the continent.
The signing ceremony with Ghana took place during Nihonbashi Space Week 2025 in Tokyo, Japan. Genevieve Edna Apaloo, Ambassador Extraordinary and Plenipotentiary of the Republic of Ghana to Japan, witnessed the signing and expressed optimism about the collaboration’s potential to foster innovation and sustainable growth.
GSSTI, operating under the Ghana Atomic Energy Commission (GAEC) within the Ministry of Environment, Science, Technology and Innovation, is responsible for coordinating and advancing Ghana’s space science and technology programmes for national development. RCMRD, an intergovernmental organisation headquartered in Nairobi, Kenya, provides geospatial and allied technology services to its member states for sustainable natural resource management and development planning.
Under these agreements, Axelspace will work with its African partners to deliver EO data and technical expertise across key application areas, including agriculture, environmental and forest conservation, disaster management, climate resilience, urban planning, and infrastructure development. Furthermore, each organisation will establish local frameworks for EO data use, engaging national and regional stakeholders to co-develop practical, data-driven solutions tailored to local needs.
These partnerships are expected to strengthen Africa’s capacity to utilise EO data effectively for policy, research, and commercial applications, while also supporting the emergence of new markets built around space-enabled services.
The agreements build on Axelspace’s role within the Emerging Countries Working Group, launched in 2024 by Cross U, a Japan-based association promoting space business co-creation between Japan and African nations. Axelspace leads the group’s Subcommittee on Earth Observation Data Utilisation, through which it has been advancing practical collaborations with African partners, now formalised through these MoUs.
Through these strategic alliances, Axelspace reaffirms its commitment to building a society where access to space-derived insights is open, inclusive, and impactful for sustainable development worldwide.
About Axelspace
With the vision of “Space within Your Reach,” Axelspace has been pioneering the development of microsatellites since its founding in 2008. In addition, Axelspace operates two core businesses: AxelLiner, which develops and operates microsatellites for customers’ space missions, and AxelGlobe, which provides Earth observation data through Axelspace’s proprietary optical satellite constellation. Leveraging Axelspace’s unique technology in microsatellite design, manufacturing, and in-orbit operations, the company offers solutions to meet the needs of a variety of industries. Through these businesses, Axelspace aims to create a society where space is accessible to people around the world.