Senegal doesn’t have astronauts or a Moon mission – but it now has a seat at the table where the future of space is being shaped. It has joined the Artemis Accords, a US-led agreement laying down the rules for exploring the Moon and beyond – and it’s only the fourth African country to sign.
The signing took place on 25 July at Nasa headquarters in Washington. Senegal became the 54th country to join the initiative, which promotes peaceful cooperation in space.
The Artemis Accords set out basic principles for countries involved in space exploration. These include transparency, sharing scientific data and using space for peaceful purposes.
The aim is to return humans to the Moon more than 50 years after the Apollo missions. But this time, the goal is to stay longer, build infrastructure and prepare for future missions to Mars.
“This is about setting up the rules for future lunar neighbours,” said Stefan Barensky, editor of Aerospatium magazine.
The Artemis programme also reflects a shift in how space missions are run. Nasa no longer has the budget or political backing to lead alone. It now relies on international partners to share the costs, science and decision-making.
Senegal joins Rwanda, Nigeria and Angola in backing the programme.
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Space ambitions
Senegal may be a small player, but it is thinking long-term. The country launched its first satellite just a year ago and is working to build up its space sector.
“Senegal’s accession reflects our commitment to a multilateral, responsible and transparent approach to space,” said Maram Kairé, head of the Senegalese Space Agency (ASES).
“It’s an important milestone in our scientific diplomacy and in our ambition to contribute to the peaceful exploration of outer space.”
Across the continent, space cooperation is growing. In April, the African Union launched the African Space Agency, based in Cairo, to coordinate research and technical work among member states.
Cities like Dakar, Nairobi, Kigali and Luanda may not yet have lunar ambitions – but that could change in the coming decades.
In the meantime, Senegal’s signature costs little but opens the door to deeper cooperation with major space powers. It also gives the country a voice in setting future rules on exploration, data sharing, security and how humans use space beyond Earth.
