Visit the Africa2Moon site for more information
Africa2Moon
The program’s primary objective will be…
To provide a series of public participation and scientific missions, over a multi-year period, culminating in a final Mission to the Moon.
In 2023 the Chinese National Space Agency released the announcement of opportunities for International Cooperation of the Chang’e 8 Lunar Mission. The Foundation for Space Development Africa, in collaboration with organisations such as the South African Radio Astronomy Observatory (SARAO) and endorsed by the South African National Space agency (SANSA), submitted the application for the Africa2Moon Technology Demonstrator. The Technology Demonstrator is made up of four antennas (B.A.L.L.S.) that will together work as a radio astronomy telescope. After a rigorous application process to be a payload on the mission to the surface of the Moon, we are now in the final stretch and the final payload selection will be announced in the coming months.
The Africa2Moon project
was conceived as a beacon project to highlight the potential and ability of developing nations
By combining cutting-edge science with educational outreach and capacity building, Africa2Moon seeks to inspire the next generation of African scientists, foster international collaboration, and demonstrate Africa’s potential in advanced engineering and scientific innovation.
This mission will transmit data from the surface of the moon which can then be relayed back to Earth and distributed to scientists and classrooms across Africa. Inspiring our youth to believe that the sky is not the limit.
Participation in science, technology, engineering and innovation is often viewed as an enabling approach to growth within developing societies, and can contribute to changing the socio-economic trajectory of the African continent as a whole.
Africa2Moon: Africa's Lunar Radio Astronomy Mission
Africa2Moon consists of two missions. The first mission will deploy a Technology Demonstrator on the Moon made up of four antennas, the first radio astronomy array on the lunar surface, to be deployed in the Moon’s south pole region. The second mission will deploy 54 antennas on the far side of the Moon, one for each nation in Africa.
The objective of Africa2Moon is the deployment of an African designed and built low frequency radio telescope on the Moon by 2028 and the primary goals are:
Science and Discovery:
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Deploy a successful technology demonstrator on the Moon
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Perform first time science in radio astronomy, in the sub 10 MHz frequency range
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Perform groundbreaking low-frequency radio astronomy, including studying solar bursts, mapping galactic emissions, Earth’s auroral kilometric radiation and more
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Deploy the full Africa2Moon radio telescope on the lunar farside
Inspiration and Education:
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Inspire future developing nation generations to push the boundaries of space, science and technology.
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Use the mission as a platform to promote space awareness and STEM education curricula across Africa.
Collaboration and Innovation:
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Showcase the power of multinational and multidisciplinary collaboration to solve complex scientific and engineering challenges, demonstrating that collaboration can overcome any challenge
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Position Africa as a contributor to global space, science and technology
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