Senegal has successfully placed its first satellite into orbit, President Bassirou Diomaye Faye announced, judging that this launch marks a major step towards the country's "technological sovereignty".
Named GAINDESAT-1A, this satellite took off from the Vandenberg launch site in California, the Senegalese leader indicated on the social network X on Friday evening.
Transported by a SpaceX Falcon 9 rocket, this satellite is part of a space mission that has sent 115 other small satellites into orbit from the United States as part of the Transporter 11 mission.
GAINDESAT-1A was built by Senegal in collaboration with the University Space Centre of Montpellier (France). The nanosatellite is designed to monitor Senegalese territory and collect information for the country's economic and environmental services.
According to the African Union, Senegal has become the 12th nation on the continent to launch its satellite into space.
