Rwanda, Atlas space operations ink deal to strengthen lunar mission control

Rwanda Space Agency (RSA) says it has “strategically” partnered with Atlas Space Operations, a leading American company in satellite communication ground infrastructure, to utilize a teleport in Rwanda. ALSO READ: 2022: When Rwanda prepared ground for its space ambitions The development comes at a time RSA is building a teleport capable of hosting multiple ground stations to service satellites in different orbits. A teleport is described as a center providing interconnections between different forms of telecommunications, especially one which links satellites to ground-based communications. According to RSA, the teleport is equipped with a state of the art infrastructure and facilities capable of providing critical communication needed for spacecraft telemetry, tracking and command (TT&C). The teleport, the agency in charge of spearheading Rwanda’s space ambitions added, will feature, among others, a 9.3-meter antenna in different frequency bands capable of servicing spacecraft on Lunar Missions. The partnership is expected to be signed on Tuesday, February 21, by RSA Chief Executive, Col. Francis Ngabo as well as Mike Carey, the Co-Founder and Chief Operations Officer of ATLAS. This, officials say, allows for ATLAS to extend its network of global ground stations in Sub Saharan Africa with the capability to support Lunar missions. The 9.3-meter antenna has the capability to service many satellites at different time slots, a platform that RSA used to woo other satellite operators to consider Rwanda for their need in TT&C infrastructure. Details of the agreement will be shared during the signing ceremony. The teleport in Rwanda comes at a time when the space industry is going through a rapid development with a projected growth from $400 billion of revenue in 2022 to $1 trillion in 2040. The industry is also experiencing a significant growth and interest in the outer space exploration segment, with missions like the Artemis 1 which opened the way for a long journey of the return of humans to the Moon. ALSO READ: Rwanda signs key global space deal In December 2022, Rwanda and Nigeria signed the Artemis Accords - a directive on guiding the next space exploration - making both countries the first African signatories to the agreement. The Artemis Accords are a set of principles to guide the next phase in space exploration, reinforcing and providing for important operational implementation of key obligations in the 1967 Outer Space Treaty. Signatories of the agreement share a vision for principles to create a safe and transparent environment which facilitates exploration, science and commercial activities for all humanity in outer space. Experts predict that with the global growth of the space industry and the increasing interest for outer space exploration, ground stations will play an important role to maintain communication between spacecraft or satellites in orbit with earth. ALSO READ: Rwanda Space Agency to be operational in July In May 2020, cabinet approved a draft law establishing the RSA, signaling another step towards promoting advancement in earth observation technologies. At the time, Rwanda joined a few countries in Africa that have space agencies, including Algeria, Tunisia, Morocco, South Africa, Angola, Egypt, Kenya, Nigeria, and Zimbabwe. ALSO READ: Rwanda Space Agency lays out plans to nurture development In September 2021, Ngabo noted that one of the main pillars for developing the Rwanda space sector is capacity building. Both short and long-term plans were being considered, he said, for training Rwandans in space science and technology ranging from hands-on skills workshops to formal graduate education programs with local and international Universities.

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Rwanda, Atlas space operations ink deal to strengthen lunar mission control