Africa’s SpaceTech story is also quickly evolving. The continent is leaning into practical, high-impact use cases that solve immediate problems: connectivity in remote regions, climate resilience, food security, infrastructure management, and disaster response.
Satellite-to-phone trials and partnerships demonstrate that space can extend existing mobile networks rather than compete with them, opening up entirely new coverage and business models. The conversation has shifted from “how many satellites” to who pays, who benefits, and what scales. ⁸
South Africa sits at an important inflection point within this landscape. According to Wesgro ¹⁰ (citing Guido Schwartz and Airbus), the country hosts the largest concentration of New Space companies in Africa, has globally competitive engineering talent, and an established legacy in satellite engineering and space science. Compared to global space economies, the sector is comparatively privatised, giving it a commercial nature with a lean, startup model.
South Africa publishes approximately 40% of Africa’s space science research ¹³ and maintains strong university engagement across engineering, satellite systems and mission development. As noted at the Stellenbosch Space Workshop, ¹⁴ the country has proven satellite manufacturing capability and established ground infrastructure, contributing to continental Earth observation and space weather services while serving as a platform for collaboration and capacity building across Africa.
The Western Cape is particularly well-positioned within this landscape. In 2024, the region accounted for over 55% of South Africa’s space navigation exports and approximately 94% of spacecraft and launch-related exports, serving markets including the US, UK, Japan, France, and Thailand. ¹⁰
Its industrial base, Southern Hemisphere location, and growing innovation ecosystem feature research institutions, tech and venture capital investment. This positions Cape Town as an important node in the global space value chain, supporting both export growth and local entrepreneurial development.
The next phase is about turning capability into compounding advantage. National strategy increasingly recognises this, and frames space data, satellite systems, and downstream applications as tools for economic and societal value, not just scientific achievement. ⁹
Commercially, South Africa’s strongest play is not dominance, but integration, supplying trusted components, systems, and services into global missions while using space data locally to unlock value in agriculture, climate, logistics, and insurance.
Sources and references
- Space in Africa. The African space market is evolving, and the terms are set at the NewSpace Africa Conference.
https://spaceinafrica.com/2026/01/28/the-african-space-market-is-evolving-and-the-terms-are-set-at-the-newspace-africa-conference/ - Wesgro. Space Economy: Cape Town and the Western Cape.
https://www.wesgro.co.za/uploads/files/Space-Economy_2025-09-23-060735_riyq_2025-10-16-131550_hnsu.pdf - Adebesin BO et al. Space science research in Africa: publication trends, citation analysis, and collaborative patterns.
https://doi.org/10.1029/2025EA004254 - Denner F. South Africa in space: a brief history. Stellenbosch Space Workshop presentation.
- South African National Space Agency (SANSA). Strategic Plan 2025–2030.
https://www.sansa.org.za/wp-content/uploads/2025/09/SANSA-Strategic-Plan-2025-2030.pdf