The Satellite Is Not the Point: Loft Orbital’s Paul Lasserre on Autonomous Intelligence, African Sovereignty, and the Code That Will Define Who Controls the Sky
Paul Lasserre, General Manager of AI for Space at Loft Orbital, speaking at NSAC 2026 in Libreville
There is a provocation embedded in the way Paul Lasserre talks about satellites, and it is entirely deliberate. The General Manager for AI for Space at Loft Orbital does not speak about his company's technology the way most people in this industry speak about hardware. He does not lead with…
African Governments Budget USD 828.37 Million for Space Programmes in 2026, Space in Africa Report Shows
Space in Africa, a boutique consulting and media firm providing data-driven insights for businesses and decision-makers to succeed in the African space industry, has released the 2026 African Space Budget Report. The report aggregates annual budgets by African governments for space programmes and explores the factors influencing budgetary decisions, including technological priorities and national…
Meet the 2026 Young African Space Professionals Awardees
With the African space economy projected to grow to USD 22.64 billion by 2026, the continent is witnessing an unprecedented expansion in satellite infrastructure, earth observation capabilities, commercial space ventures, and national space programmes, driven by increasing investments, expanding satellite infrastructure, and a rising generation of of scientists, engineers, policymakers, and…
NewSpace Africa Startup Pitch Competition 2026 Finalists
The African upstream space sector is being built by founders, engineers, and entrepreneurs designing satellites, developing propulsion systems, and building capabilities across satellite systems, launch technologies, and critical infrastructure across the continent, often with limited resources and against considerable odds. With this new generation of startups moving beyond concept-stage…
The African Space Market is Evolving, and the Terms Are Set at the NewSpace Africa Conference
Speakers at the Ministerial Session at the NewSpace Africa Conference 2024, Luanda, Angola
The narrative about the African space industry and its development has been fixated on the number of launched satellites, space infrastructure projects like ground stations and mission control centres, and enacted policies. Yet the most consequential developments shaping the continent's USD 20 billion…
Africa’s Space Ambitions: Milestones to Watch in 2026
The Lijian-1 carrier rocket, carrying nine satellites including Egypt’s SPNEX, blasted off from the Dongfeng Commercial Space Innovation Pilot Zone on December 10, 2025. Source: Wang Jiangbo/Xinhua
Every year, Space in Africa compiles the most intriguing projects and developments in the African space and satellite industry from government and private sector players. In 2026, the industry is…
US Launches Inaugural Space Training Initiative with African Partners
Source: Senate Foreign Relations Committee (Jonathan Pratt, senior official at the State Department's Bureau of African Affairs, on Capitol Hill)
The United States has launched the inaugural U.S.-Africa Technical and Regulatory Space Training Meeting, marking a strategic expansion of American space diplomacy on the continent as Washington seeks to deepen cooperation with Africa's rapidly…
How The NewSpace Africa Conference is Shaping the Continent’s Space Ambitions
Minister of Telecommunications, Information Technologies, and Social Communication (MINTTICS), Angola, Minister Mario Oliveira, in a closed meeting with stakeholders from the US Office of Space Commerce, NASA, and the NOAA at the NewSpace Africa Conference 2024.
Over the past few years, the NewSpace Africa Conference has evolved beyond a gathering of industry leaders; it has become the…
NewSpace Africa Conference 2026: Where Africa’s Space Inclusion Agenda is Set
Heads of African Space Agencies Panel at the NewSpace Africa Conference 2025 in Cairo, Egypt.
In just a few years, the NewSpace Africa Conference has become the single most influential platform shaping the business, policy, and partnerships driving Africa’s space ecosystem. What began as a continental conversation for business development in the NewSpace ecosystem has evolved into a global…
Africa’s Satellite Market to Remain 84% Government-Backed Through 2030, Space in Africa Report Shows
Space in Africa, a boutique consulting and media firm providing data-driven insights for businesses and decision-makers to succeed in the African space industry, has released the African Satellite Manufacturing and Launch Industry Report 2025. The Report analyses market dynamics, demand and supply drivers, financial projections, and the competitive landscape of Africa's satellite manufacturing…