Uganda joins African satellite projects, eyes space agency by 2026
Dr Monica Musenero, Minister for Science, Technology and Innovation, visits exhibitors at the ongoing National Science Week at Kololo Independence Grounds. This year’s event is themed “Turning Innovations into Market-Ready Solutions.” PHOTO/GEOFREY MUTUMBA
What you need to know:
At the national level, Uganda is investing in the development of locally-built satellites
The Minister of Science, Technology and Innovation, Dr Monica Musenero, has said African countries, including Uganda, have agreed to jointly implement satellite projects due to the high cost and technical complexity of operating such ventures independently.
“Since building and maintaining space assets is expensive and technically challenging, African countries have agreed to come together and jointly implement some critical projects. Uganda is participating in two of these,” Dr Musenero told journalists on Wednesday, June 18, during the ongoing National Science Week exhibition at Kololo Independence Grounds in Kampala.
One of the projects, the East Africa Development Satellite (AfDev), is an initiative led by the Egyptian Space Agency aimed at climate change monitoring and capacity building.
Dr Musenero also revealed that the Northern Corridor Initiative Satellite, currently under development by East African nations, will help with climate monitoring and disaster prediction.
At the national level, Uganda is investing in the development of locally-built satellites.
“We are using an action research approach involving our students so we can build capacity in this field while progressing the work. Our first step was to define the satellite’s mission and key features,” she said, adding that over 106 students from 10 universities participated in the mission identification phase.
“The next phase will involve designing and prototyping a proof of concept,” she added.
The government is hopeful that Uganda will have a fully operational national space agency by 2026.
Uganda’s first satellite, PearlAfricaSat-1, was launched into orbit in 2022. The mission had commenced two years earlier in Japan, under the BIRDS-5 programme at the Kyushu Institute of Technology (Kyutech). The satellite was designed and built by three Ugandan engineers — Bonny Omara, Edgar Mujuni, and Derrick Tebusweke — who received training through the Japanese government.
The satellite is expected to support Uganda’s oil and gas sector by monitoring the East African Crude Oil Pipeline, as well as aiding in weather forecasting, landslide and drought prediction, and remote sensing applications.
Advances in local vaccine development
Dr Musenero also shared progress on vaccine development by Ugandan scientists, particularly at the Uganda Virus Research Institute (UVRI). Two vaccine candidates are being developed for Crimean-Congo Hemorrhagic Fever and Rift Valley Fever, using technologies previously developed during the country’s Covid-19 vaccine efforts. In the veterinary field, scientists are working on a combined vaccine to protect against both Lumpy Skin Disease and Foot and Mouth Disease, which are especially harmful to improved cattle breeds.
The minister also noted significant strides in the formal testing of traditional medicines.
“This year, we completed trials of two investigational medicinal products for the treatment of respiratory infections caused by multiple viruses including Covid-19 and Influenza A and B,” she said. “The two products were found to be safe and showed superior efficacy compared to standard treatments.”
She further noted that scientists are preparing to begin trials on three new therapeutic drugs targeting diabetes, malaria, and a potent painkiller.
More than 30 other natural therapeutic products are currently undergoing preliminary assessments and laboratory studies at UVRI. These in vitro studies are designed to determine if the drugs can kill specific viruses or bacteria, spare healthy body cells, and are free from harmful compounds.
Uganda aims to grow a pathogen economy — an ecosystem that could contribute Shs48.3 billion to the national GDP by 2040.
