On-orbit servicing (OOS) has the potential to revolutionise the space industry through the extension of satellite lifespans, in-situ repairs and upgrades, and active debris removal. The sector has also undergone its own historical evolution, of which the current first steps in robotic OOS is the latest phase. This is of great interest not only to developed space actors, but also to the developing space actors of the Global South, including Africa. In recent years, rapid advances have been made in this continent’s space sector, with increasing numbers of African satellites serving social, political, and economic development goals. However, several expensive satellite failures or impairments have also hampered these efforts, and OOS can thus play a vital role for Africa. The establishment of the African Space Agency and the creation of the African Space Policy and Strategy also lay the foundation for the continent’s potential future role as a supplier, not only a consumer, of OOS. However, significant challenges remain, and the instructive case of Edward Mukuka Nkoloso, a failed pioneer of the African space sector, is used to frame the chapter’s approach to these issues.


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    Title :

    On-Orbit Servicing: Space for Africa?


    Additional title:

    Studies in Space Policy


    Contributors:


    Publication date :

    2020-09-08


    Size :

    22 pages





    Type of media :

    Article/Chapter (Book)


    Type of material :

    Electronic Resource


    Language :

    English




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