World Space Week: Africa prepares to celebrate space sciences and education

World Space Week – the largest annual space event in the world – celebrates and inspires interest in space sciences and technology.

World Space Week will be observed globally to celebrate and inspire interests in space. In addition, several African countries will be celebrating the contributions of space sciences and technology. 

WORLD SPACE WEEK: WHAT YOU NEED TO KNOW

DATE AND TIME

World Space Week is the largest annual space event in the world. It will be observed from Sunday, 4 October until Saturday, 10 October 2020 in various countries, including Africa.

The day was proclaimed in the resolution 54/68 of 6 December 1999 by the United Nations General Assembly; its purpose is to celebrate space science and technology to the betterment of the human condition.

THEME FOR 2020

The Board of Directors for the World Space Week Association chooses a theme for each year’s celebrations, as guided by the UN Office of Outer Space Affairs. The theme is applied globally. 

SATELLITES IMPROVE LIFE

This year will be dedicated to satellites and their benefits under the umbrella theme: Satellites improve life. Fittingly, Elon Musk’s SpaceX will be delivering a Starlink Satellite constellation update this month. 

According to the UN Office of Outer Space Affairs (UNOOSA) World Space Week will highlight all the ways in which satellites can change the world for the better. 

“With this theme, the World Space Week will show the importance of satellites in daily life and how our lives are affected by satellites; in communications, environmental monitoring, transportation, weather forecasting, telemedicine, science, and in many other ways”.

WORLD SPACE WEEK IN AFRICA

Several countries in Africa will observe the global event by hosting webinars and panel discussions to celebrate the Satellites improve life theme. A series of events have been arranged in the following African countries. 

NIGERIA

LearnSpace Foundation will be organising a youth event, Satellites and the future in Nigeria, to discuss the country’s current space program.

KENYA

SGAC Kenya plans to run a minute daily webinar for the entire World Space Week, aligning with the global theme, Satellites Improve Life.

ETHIOPIA

The Ethiopian Space Science and Technology Institute (ESSTI) organised webinar, panel discussion and media engagements. 

SUDAN

STEM Sudan arranged a public event for families and students to observe the sky with some DIY in making rockets and space shuttles.

EGYPT

Egypt will be hosting “five online astronomy sessions with a stargazing event where we can get a telescope and observe the night sky”.

ANGOLA

The 2nd Space Generation Advisory Council Angola webinar is coming on 4 October 2020, to explore how satellite missions impact our daily life.

Written by Cheryl Kahla