Floods, defense and the Artemis agreements: ASES unveils its satellite and astronomical observatory projects

From agriculture and health to fishing, flood management, land-use planning, and security, space technologies can help address several of Senegal's economic and social challenges. This is the conviction of Maram Kaïré, Director General of the Senegalese Agency for Space Studies (ASES). Speaking on the sidelines of a national workshop on "Space Sciences, Media, and Society," organized by the Senegalese Agency for Space Studies and the General Delegation for Religious Affairs (DEGAR) from October 26 to 28, 2026, in Toubab Dialaw, the Senegalese astronomer believes that space can be a major tool for economic growth and for resolving concrete problems facing Senegal. "Our economy should, in the future, have the use of space technologies in its very DNA to prosper," he stated.

This conviction is based in particular on the possibilities offered by satellites and associated technologies. According to Maram Kaïré, their accessibility has improved considerably in recent years, opening up new perspectives for African countries. "The most advanced countries, the best equipped today to achieve the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs), are those that invested in space very early on," he explains.

Satellites for better flood and agriculture management

Among the applications mentioned by the Director General of ASES is flood management. Satellite data can help improve monitoring of at-risk areas and enhance prevention. It can also be used to analyze soils and support the development of smarter agriculture. "Applications for flood management, even flood prevention, applications for soil management, and smart agriculture," explains Maram Kaïré, who believes these tools address major national concerns.

The healthcare sector is also among the areas concerned. Satellite technologies can notably support the development of telemedicine by facilitating certain forms of remote medical care. In urban areas, they can support land-use planning and mobility management, particularly by providing information useful for understanding traffic and congestion problems. For Maram Kaïré, these uses are not secondary: they have direct repercussions on economic activity by improving planning and contributing to a better use of resources.

Fishing and maritime surveillance at the heart of the issues

Speaking about maritime surveillance, the Director General of ASES warned of the risks associated with illicit activities and threats that could affect offshore installations. In this context, satellites allow for better monitoring of maritime areas and the detection of certain activities that are difficult to identify using conventional methods. "So satellites help us protect our marine environment, our blue economy," he emphasized.

Their use can also contribute to forest monitoring and the detection of illegal logging. Maram Kaïré points out that these practices have disastrous economic and environmental consequences, and believes that space technologies can help authorities better identify them.

A satellite observatory and assembly center are planned.

To support this ambition, ASES is focusing on developing ground-based and orbital infrastructure. Maram Kaïré announced, in particular, a project to build a research observatory for astronomy and astrophysics, which is slated to become the largest in West Africa. The facility will also house Senegal's first astrophysics institute. This project aims to offer new opportunities to students and recent graduates in scientific fields, thus creating a bridge between existing training programs and careers in astronomy.

A second project involves establishing a microsatellite and nanosatellite assembly center in Senegal. The stated objective is to enable the manufacturing of this equipment within the country and to progressively develop local expertise in this technological field. In parallel, the agency is preparing, with the General Staff of the Armed Forces, a satellite constellation project designed to enhance territorial surveillance. According to Maram Kaïré, the planned system includes two satellites, one dedicated to maritime surveillance and the other to border surveillance.

Artemis , an opportunity for Senegalese engineers

Referring to the Artemis Accords, an international program led by the United States and dedicated to returning humans to the Moon, Maram Kaïré asserts that Senegal's participation must go beyond institutional presence and allow Senegalese engineers and technicians to take part in the technical work. "We don't want to be spectators. We want to be active participants," he affirms.

He emphasizes the strengthening of national skills as the primary objective. "Senegal decided to join the Artemis Accords with one main goal: to upskill our engineers and technicians who will be involved in this project," he explains. Furthermore, at NASA's request, Mr. Kaïré indicates that the ASES teams have been mobilized to formulate project proposals, particularly concerning robots or technical mechanisms that could be used on the Moon.

Making space a national project

For the head of ASES, the success of this ambition depends not only on infrastructure or international partnerships. It also requires a better understanding of space science by the public and the media. It was with this in mind that the workshop in Toubab Dialaw, bringing together journalists and religious leaders, was organized. The initiative aims to equip media professionals with the necessary tools to cover this sector and to encourage its adoption by the general public. "It was important for us to ensure that not only do the media understand what we are talking about when we discuss space science, but that society also embraces the space development project we have," he explains.

Maram Kaïré believes that the project to make Senegal a spacefaring nation cannot be led by the space agency alone. It must mobilize the entire society, particularly because the envisioned applications directly impact the daily needs of citizens. Furthermore, during this workshop, which was attended by imams, a platform for space science journalists was established to contribute to a better understanding and dissemination of space-related topics within the Senegalese media landscape.