Rama Krishna Sangem
As part of her Africa outreach for Mission ShakthiSAT, the world’s first all-girls lunar satellite mission, Dr. Srimathy Kesan announced a series of concrete collaborative steps with key leaders and institutions across Nigeria, Eswatini, and South Africa.
These developments strengthen both the technical and educational pillars of the mission, while expanding its pan-African footprint in space science and STEM empowerment, said a media release from ShakthiSAT on December 14, Sunday.
In Nigeria, Space Kidz India extended a special gesture of friendship by offering a complimentary 100-gram payload slot on its upcoming Satellite Mission. This symbolic yet strategic offer will allow Nigerian partners to fly an experiment or payload of their choice, showcasing Nigeria’s presence on an international student-centric satellite platform.
Responding to this announcement, the Director General of the National Space Research and Development Agency (NASRDA), Dr. Mathew Adepoju, warmly remarked that Dr. Kesan had given Nigeria a “Christmas gift before Christmas,” capturing the spirit of goodwill and long-term cooperation behind the initiative.
Beyond agency-level discussions, Dr. Kesan also held key meetings with Senator Ede Dafinone to broaden the scope of collaboration in the Niger Delta region. Together, they explored the creation of a BalloonSat program to introduce students and local communities to near-space missions and basic space science concepts.
The plan is to first build and launch educational BalloonSats to create public awareness, and then work progressively towards joint activities in sounding rockets and related experimental platforms from the Delta area, thereby nurturing a new generation of space enthusiasts and technologists.
In Eswatini
In Eswatini, the Mission ShakthiSAT outreach was marked by the official poster launch, a landmark event spearheaded by Senator Savannah Maziya, Minister of ICT, whose steadfast support from day one has been instrumental in driving the mission forward for the girls of Eswatini. The ceremony, organized under her dynamic leadership, was attended by the Minister of Education, H. E. Mr. N. Ram Prasad, High Commissioner of India to Eswatini, and senior officials from the Ministry of ICT, including Dr. Rejoice and Ms. N. Nepholo, who played a crucial backbone role in coordinating and enabling the entire process.
Following the launch, Dr. Srimathy Kesan met the Eswatini girl participants, who welcomed her with a beautiful cultural showcase, reflecting the warmth and pride of the nation. The discussions that followed laid the foundation for a strong future roadmap between India and Eswatini, strengthening collaboration in space science, STEM education, and capacity-building.
Dr Kesan, soul siter
Senator Maziya referred to Dr. Kesan as her “soul sister,” expressing her commitment to nurturing this growing bond between the two nations. She further articulated her vision of seeing Eswatini rise in the global space community—aspiring to appoint the nation’s first woman Mission Director and eventually launch Eswatini’s own rocket from Eswatini’s own soil.
In South Africa, Dr. Kesan met with the Chief Executive Officer of the South African National Space Agency (SANSA), one of the most influential decision-makers in the country’s space ecosystem. Their discussions centered on Mission ShakthiSAT’s objectives, possible modes of institutional support, and opportunities for South African students and researchers to connect with the mission.
SANSA’s media director, Mr. Daniel, engaged in intensive deliberations on how the agency and the broader African Science, Technology and Innovation (ASTI) community could amplify ShakthiSAT’s reach, including communication, outreach, and technical collaboration streams.
The outreach also included a focused meeting with Mr. Lukovi Seke, ASTII Coordinator and Principal Programme Officer, to align continental support mechanisms and ensure that Mission ShakthiSAT can tap into Africa-wide networks in science and innovation. In a significant diplomatic and symbolic moment, Dr. Kesan briefed the Prime Minister of Finland, on the mission’s vision and global impact.
Impressed by the scale and ambition of an all-girls lunar satellite mission, the Prime Minister encouraged her to formally write to his office, opening the door for Finland’s potential participation and signaling growing European interest in this transformative initiative.
These engagements across Nigeria, Eswatini, and South Africa underscore Mission ShakthiSAT’s evolution from a pioneering space project into a global movement for girls’ education, leadership, and scientific curiosity, anchored in meaningful international partnerships and shared aspirations.