ShakthiSAT expands Africa outreach, forging global alliances for girls in space science

Chennai (Tamil Nadu) [India], December 14 (ANI): Mission ShakthiSAT, the world's first all-girls lunar satellite initiative led by Space Kidz India, is rapidly evolving into a global movement with a strong focus on Africa. Founder and CEO of Space Kidz India, Dr. Srimathy Kesan, has concluded a series of high-level engagements across Nigeria, Eswatini and South Africa, strengthening international cooperation in space science, education and diplomacy.
In Nigeria, Space Kidz India made a significant gesture of collaboration by offering a complimentary 100-gram payload slot on its upcoming satellite mission. The slot will allow Nigerian institutions to fly a scientific experiment of their choice. Welcoming the offer, Director General of the National Space Research and Development Agency (NASRDA), Dr. Mathew Adepoju, described it as a "Christmas gift before Christmas," underlining the positive momentum in India-Nigeria space cooperation.
Dr. Kesan also met Senator Ede Dafinone to initiate a BalloonSat programme in the Niger Delta region. The initiative aims to expose students to near-space experiments, with long-term plans to advance towards joint sounding rocket activities, creating a pipeline of future space scientists and engineers.
In Eswatini, Mission ShakthiSAT reached a key milestone with the official unveiling of its mission poster, led by the Minister of Information, Communication and Technology, Senator Savannah Maziya. The event was attended by senior ministers, the Indian High Commissioner and top ICT officials. Dr. Kesan later interacted with participating schoolgirls, who welcomed her with a cultural performance. Senator Maziya reaffirmed her vision to strengthen Eswatini's presence in the global space sector, including the development of women leaders for space missions.
South Africa marked another strategic engagement, with Dr. Kesan meeting the CEO of the South African National Space Agency (SANSA). Discussions focused on collaborative opportunities for students, researchers and science outreach across Africa.
Beyond Africa, Dr. Kesan also briefed Finland's Prime Minister on ShakthiSAT, creating potential for European collaboration.
With these developments, Mission ShakthiSAT is emerging as a powerful international platform championing girls' leadership and participation in space exploration. (ANI)