The International Space University (ISU) and the South African National Space Agency (SANSA) joined forces to offer a successful inaugural Executive Space Course for the African region, held online from 01 to 04 February 2022.

The course was attended by 26 professionals from government space agencies (SANSA and Portugal Space) and Angolan National Air Force. It was opened by the Chief Executive Officer of SANSA, Dr. Valanathan Munsami (an ISU alumnus) and the President of ISU, Prof. Pascale Ehrenfreund.

The four-day intensive course included sessions from several space disciplines – from policy and law to engineering, business and satellite applications. The program was delivered by 13 specialists from space agencies, academia, and industry experts including Hansjörg Dittus, University of Bremen and Jörg Kreisel, JKIC.

An overview about the history of space agency business given by Jean Yves Le Gall, former CNES President, the case study on the evolution of the Portuguese Space Agency by Hugo Costa and the panel discussion on the role of Africa in the space sector, including the President of the Italian Space Agency, Giorgio Saccoccia, the Chief of Space Applications section at the United Nations Office for Outer Space Affairs, Luc St-Pierre, and the Member of the Board of Portugal Space, Hugo Costa were especially appreciated, and triggered many questions and animated debate!

We are thankful to our partners at SANSA and are looking forward to further building space capacity on the African continent.

The next Executive Space Course is held in Strasbourg, France from 4 to 8 April 2022. More information here.