The CIA World Factbook Every edition, 2023 to 2025 Africa
Space program overview South Africa, in 3 editions.
The entry for South Africa published Space program overview in 3 editions of 36, from 2023 to 2025. The text changed in 2 editions. Each is shown as published. Space program overview in every entry.
- editions changed the text
- 2
- the first edition with it
- 2023
- the latest edition with it
- 2025
Published as “Space program overview” (2023 to 2025).
field in that editiontext changed from the edition beforenot in that editionthe edition shownChoose an edition on the strip beside the text, or step through them with the arrows. Mark changes compares it with the edition before: the marks are ours, words added and words removed.
2025 edition
Changed since 2024- the largest producer of satellites (particularly nanosatellites) in Africa;
- areas of focus for development include remote sensing (RS) capabilities, such as optical instruments and synthetic aperture radar systems, space engineering, ground support to space operations (tracking, telemetry, etc.), and space science, particularly astronomy;
- SANSA is responsible for aggregating RS data for southern African countries;
- has a sounding rocket program for carrying experimental payloads for research purposes;
- cooperates with foreign space agencies and industries, including those of China, France, India, Russia, and the US;
- participates in international programs such as the Square Kilometer Array (SKA) Project, an international effort to build the world’s largest radio telescope by 2030;
- has more than 120 state- and privately-owned aerospace companies, as well as a substantial number of academic and research institutions involved in space-related activities (2023)
note: further details about the key activities, programs, and milestones of the country’s space program, as well as government spending estimates on the space sector, appear in Appendix S
the largest producer of satellites (particularly nanosatellites) in Africa; areas of focus for development include remote sensing (RS) capabilities, such as optical instruments and synthetic aperture radar systems, space engineering, ground support to space operations (tracking, telemetry, etc.), and space science, particularly astronomy; SANSA is responsible for aggregating RS data for southern African countries; has a sounding rocket program for carrying experimental payloads for research purposes; cooperates with foreign space agencies and industries, including those of China, France, India, Russia, and the US; participates in international programs such as the Square Kilometer Array (SKA) Project, an international effort to build the world’s largest radio telescope by 2030; has more than 120 state- and privately-owned aerospace companies, as well as a substantial number of academic and research institutions involved in space-related activities (2023)
note: further details about the key activities, programs, and milestones of the country’s space program, as well as government spending estimates on the space sector, appear in Appendix S
- the largest producer of satellites (particularly nanosatellites) in Africa;
- areas of focus for development include remote sensing (RS) capabilities, such as optical instruments and synthetic aperture radar systems, space engineering, ground support to space operations (tracking, telemetry, etc.), and space science, particularly astronomy;
- SANSA is responsible for aggregating RS data for southern African countries;
- has a sounding rocket program for carrying experimental payloads for research purposes;
- cooperates with foreign space agencies and industries, including those of China, France, India, Russia, and the US;
- participates in international programs such as the Square Kilometer Array (SKA) Project, an international effort to build the world’s largest radio telescope by 2030;
- has a substantial number of state- and privately-owned aerospace companies, as well as academic and research institutions involved in space-related activities (2024)
note: further details about the key activities, programs, and milestones of the country’s space program, as well as government spending estimates on the space sector, appear in the Space Programs reference guide
the largest producer of satellites (particularly nanosatellites) in Africa; areas of focus for development include remote sensing (RS) capabilities, such as optical instruments and synthetic aperture radar systems, space engineering, ground support to space operations (tracking, telemetry, etc.), and space science, particularly astronomy; SANSA is responsible for aggregating RS data for southern African countries; has a sounding rocket program for carrying experimental payloads for research purposes; cooperates with foreign space agencies and industries, including those of China, France, India, Russia, and the US; participates in international programs such as the Square Kilometer Array (SKA) Project, an international effort to build the world’s largest radio telescope by 2030; has more than 120 a substantial number of state- and privately-owned aerospace companies, as well as a substantial number of academic and research institutions involved in space-related activities (2023) (2024)
note: further details about the key activities, programs, and milestones of the country’s space program, as well as government spending estimates on the space sector, appear in Appendix S the Space Programs reference guide
- key areas of emphasis for its national space program include Earth observation/remote sensing (RS) capabilities, weather monitoring, research, engineering, and operations (tracking, telemetry, etc.);
- produces and operates satellites;
- has a sounding rocket program for carrying experimental payloads for research;
- cooperates with a range of foreign space agencies and industries, including those of China, France, India, Russia, and the US;
- member of the African Space Agency;
- participates in international programs such as the Square Kilometer Array Project;
- has a number of state- and privately-owned aerospace companies, as well as academic and research institutions involved in space-related activities (2025)
the largest producer of satellites (particularly nanosatellites) in Africa; key areas of focus emphasis for development its national space program include remote Earth observation/remote sensing (RS) capabilities, such as optical instruments and synthetic aperture radar systems, space weather monitoring, research, engineering, ground support to space and operations (tracking, telemetry, etc.), etc.); produces and space science, particularly astronomy; SANSA is responsible for aggregating RS data for southern African countries; operates satellites; has a sounding rocket program for carrying experimental payloads for research purposes; research; cooperates with a range of foreign space agencies and industries, including those of China, France, India, Russia, and the US; member of the African Space Agency; participates in international programs such as the Square Kilometer Array (SKA) Project, an international effort to build the world’s largest radio telescope by 2030; Project; has a substantial number of state- and privately-owned aerospace companies, as well as academic and research institutions involved in space-related activities (2024) (2025)
note: further details about the key activities, programs, and milestones of the country’s space program, as well as government spending estimates on the space sector, appear in the Space Programs reference guide
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Cite this page
Central Intelligence Agency. “South Africa: Space program overview.” The World Factbook, 2023–2025 editions. Archived by The Factbook, thefactbook.org/south-africa/space-program-overview.