Space Fostering African Societies

This peer-reviewed book provides detailed insights into how space and its applications are, and can be used to support the development of the full range and diversity of African societies, as encapsulated in the African Union’s Agenda 2063. Following on from Part 1, which was highly acclaimed by the space community, it focuses on the role of space in supporting the UN Sustainable Development Goals in Africa, but covers an even more extensive array of relevant and timely topics addressing all facets of African development. It demonstrates that, while there have been significant achievements in recent years in terms of economic and social development, which have lifted many of Africa’s people out of poverty, there is still a great deal that needs to be done to fulfill the basic needs of Africa's citizens and afford them the dignity they deserve. To this end, space is already being employed in diverse fields of human endeavor to serve Africa’s goals for its future, but there is much room for further incorporation of space systems and data. Providing a comprehensive overview of the role space is playing in helping Africa achieve its developmental aspirations, the book will appeal to both students and professionals in fields such as space studies, international relations, governance, and social and rural development.

This peer-reviewed book provides detailed insights into how space and its applications are, and can be used to support the development of the full range and diversity of African societies, as encapsulated in the African Union’s Agenda 2063. Following on from Part 1 to Part 3, which was highly acclaimed by the space community, it focuses on the role of space in supporting the UN Sustainable Development Goals in Africa, but covers an even more extensive array of relevant and timely topics addressing all facets of African development. It demonstrates that, while there have been significant achievements in recent years in terms of economic and social development, which have lifted many of Africa’s people out of poverty, there is still a great deal that needs to be done to fulfill the basic needs of Africa's citizens and afford them the dignity they deserve. To this end, space is already being employed in diverse fields of human endeavor to serve Africa’s goals for its future, but there is much room for further incorporation of space systems and data. Providing a comprehensive overview of the role space is playing in helping Africa achieve its developmental aspirations, the book will appeal to both students and professionals in fields such as space studies, international relations, governance, social, rural and technical development.

This peer-reviewed book provides detailed insights into how space and its applications are, and can be used to support the development of the full range and diversity of African societies, as encapsulated in the African Union’s Agenda 2063. Following on from Part 1 and 2, which were highly acclaimed by the space community, it focuses on the role of space in supporting the UN Sustainable Development Goals in Africa, but covers an even more extensive array of relevant and timely topics addressing all facets of African development. It demonstrates that, while there have been significant achievements in recent years in terms of economic and social development, which have lifted many of Africa’s people out of poverty, there is still a great deal that needs to be done to fulfill the basic needs of Africa's citizens and afford them the dignity they deserve. To this end, space is already being employed in diverse fields of human endeavor to serve Africa’s goals for its future, but there is much room for further incorporation of space systems and data. Providing a comprehensive overview of the role space is playing in helping Africa achieve its developmental aspirations, the book will appeal to both students and professionals in fields such as space studies, international relations, governance, and social and rural development.

This book provides detailed insights into how space and its applications are, and can be, used to support the development of the full range and diversity of African societies, as encapsulated in the African Union’s Agenda 2063. Like previous books in the "Southern Space Studies" series, it focuses on the role of space in supporting the UN Sustainable Development Goals in Africa, but it covers an even more extensive array of relevant and timely topics addressing all facets of African development. It demonstrates that, while great achievements have been made in recent years in terms of economic and social development, which has lifted many of Africa’s people out of poverty, there is still much that needs to be done to fulfill the basic needs of Africa's citizens and afford them the dignity they deserve: to this end space is already being employed in diverse fields of human endeavor to serve Africa’s goals for its future, but there is much room for further incorporation of space systems and data. Providing a comprehensive overview of the role space is playing in achieving Africa’s developmental aspirations, the book is of great interest to both students and professionals in fields such as space studies, international relations, governance, social and rural development, and many others.

This peer-reviewed book provides detailed insights into how space and its applications are, and can be used to support the development of the full range and diversity of African societies, as encapsulated in the African Union’s Agenda 2063. Following on from Part 1 to Part 4, which were highly acclaimed by the space community, it focuses on the role of space in supporting the UN Sustainable Development Goals in Africa, but covers an even more extensive array of relevant and timely topics addressing all facets of African development. It demonstrates that, while there have been significant achievements in recent years in terms of economic and social development, which have lifted many of Africa’s people out of poverty, there is still a great deal that needs to be done to fulfill the basic needs of Africa's citizens and afford them the dignity they deserve. To this end, space is already being employed in diverse fields of human endeavor to serve Africa’s goals for its future, but there is much room for further incorporation of space systems and data. Providing a comprehensive overview of the role space is playing in helping Africa achieve its developmental aspirations, the book will appeal to both students and professionals in fields such as space studies, international relations, governance, social, rural and technical development.

​This book addresses the need to support decision-makers across Africa by promoting awareness of the importance of space technologies and data to African development through the presentation of existing examples where space supports education and healthcare, and by making recommendations for further roll-out of these efforts. This is necessary because of the enduring misconception that space-related research and expenditure competes with other, more pressing, needs on the continent, when in truth space can play a major role in meeting these needs. Accordingly, the book unpacks the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) 2030 and the critical needs they address in the African context. Secondly, it provides an analysis of the African higher education landscape and considers the network of higher education-related SDGs, their targets, and their indicators. Africa’s own development plan, Agenda 2063, is also explored. The African higher education landscape is then assessed by way of three models – the Space-Education Equation (SEE), the Benefits to Education by Space Transection (BEST), and the Enhanced Education for Sustainable Development Access and Success (EESDAS) model. The critical role of educational technologies and e-learning in bridging the educational access and success gap is appraised, as is the role of the space sector, and its technologies, applications, and data in African higher education. Finally, it explores e-health and provides an analysis of pertinent technologies required by e-health, past and present, and the opportunities and challenges it presents. Space technology can play a critical role in eliminating the barriers that are currently preventing e-health from playing a more significant role in a developing region such as sub-Saharan Africa.

This book shares a range of new and diverse insights on On-Orbit Servicing (OOS), and examines its implications especially from political, legal, economic, and security perspectives. OSS has been evolving rapidly and presents both challenges and opportunities, such as in-space repairs, refuelling, refurbishment of spacecraft and servicing satellites, which could play a critical role in extending satellite lifecycles, while also representing a valuable next step in debris mitigation. At the same time, many legal questions have arisen in connection with OOS: the need to prevent hostile actions under the pretext of OSS; the distinction between governmental and non-governmental OOS operators; the status of re-worked and recycled space objects; the issue of control in terms of operations performed in orbit, i.e., in the international sphere; the status of objects manufactured in orbit and applicable law, including liability and registration; and the impacts on insurance law and risk management. Finally, the book examines the implications of OOS for emerging space actors in the Global South, and recommends a paradigm shift to help developing countries fully recognise the necessity and urgency of being involved in discussions on OSS, as opposed to leaving it up to the developed space actors. This book will be of great interest to practitioners, academics, and students working in the space sector and related fields.

There are essential questions surrounding Africa's digitalization journey, including whether or not the continent can truly serve as the last frontier for socio-economic transformation through digital innovation. An examination of countries such as Ghana, Kenya, Senegal, and Rwanda, which are actively pursuing digitalization, may provide some answers. To evaluate the potential implications, both real and potential, that arise from this focused pursuit, a critical analysis is necessary. Scrutiny of digital infrastructure by companies like Huawei, the emergence of artificial intelligence, and the advent of quantum computing will open new pathways to understanding and establishing promising approaches to the advancement of this region. Examining the Rapid Advance of Digital Technology in Africa offers a comprehensive exploration of the transformative power of digitalization in Africa and its implications for the continent's socio-economic development. It engages with the field of science and technology studies, linking it with socio-economic impacts and transformation, to track, analyze, understand, and critique Africa's contributions to digitalization. The chapters cover a wide range of themes, including ICTs and the business environment, education, healthcare, creative industries, media, culture, tourism, agriculture, ecology, artificial intelligence, blockchain and cryptocurrency revolution, algorithmic governance, the quantum age, and urbanization. This book is a must-read for researchers, scholars, investors, and policymakers who are interested in Africa's digital transformation, as it offers valuable insights into the latest empirical and theoretical aspects shaping the continent's ongoing digitalization.