Senegal has entered the field of space exploration with the launch of its first satellite, Gaindesat. The satellite was launched at 6:46 p.m. GMT on Friday from the U.S. Vandenberg Air Force base in California, in partnership with SpaceX.

“After five years of hard work by our engineers and technicians, this achievement marks a significant step toward our technological sovereignty. I wish to express my pride and gratitude to all those who made this project possible,” President Bassirou Diomaye Faye wrote on X following the launch.

Gaindesat was designed and built by Senegalese engineers in collaboration with the Montpelier University Space Center (CSUM). It is expected to collect data for various state agencies including the Directorate of Water Resource Management and Planning (DGPRE) and the National Agency for Civil Aviation and Meteorology (ANACIM).

Officials said the satellite will specifically contribute to water resource management, weather forecasting, aviation safety, and climate monitoring.

Now the second sub-Saharan Francophone country to have a satellite, after Djibouti, Senegal is showing the world that Africa is ready to make strides in space exploration while expressing its commitment to scientific innovation.

The launch will also open new doors for Senegal not only within but outside the country while encouraging other African countries that they too can make it in the space sector.

The global space economy is worth about $469 billion. The African space industry, which was worth $19.49 billion in 2021, is expected to grow to $22.64 billion by 2026, according to figures.

As of 2022, Africa has launched 52 satellites, with plans to more than triple the number of satellites sent into the Earth’s orbit over the coming years, according to Space Hubs Africa.