On May 6, 2025, the Future African Space Explorer’s STEM Academy (FASESA) and Boeing launched the second edition of Africa’s “Pathways to Space” programme. The initiative, aimed at inspiring young minds in space science, returned to Ethiopia and Nigeria while debuting in Kenya.
The programme will engage up to 300 students aged 13-18 from state schools across these countries.
The programme, a collaboration between local educational institutions and government bodies, provides students with hands-on experience in astronautics and space sciences.
Over the next five months, participants will participate in weekly classes, interactive spacewalk simulations, and robotic arm control exercises.
They will also work on a capstone documentary focusing on the importance of space exploration and its potential to shape future careers in the aerospace industry.
Kuljit Ghata-Aura, president of Boeing Middle East, Türkiye, Africa, and Central Asia, noted that the initiative combines Boeing’s extensive space expertise with FASESA’s educational methodologies to empower the next generation of African space professionals.
Sean Jacobs, executive director at FASESA, expressed pride in the partnership with Boeing, reinforcing the shared commitment to building Africa’s future workforce in STEM fields.
This year’s edition builds on the success of the first “Pathways to Space” programme, which reached over 300 students in Ethiopia, Nigeria, and Tanzania.
The inaugural event culminated in the launch of a high-altitude balloon carrying student-designed payloads.
The initiative is part of a broader effort to promote space exploration across Africa, aligning with the African Union’s launch of the African Space Agency (AfSA) in April 2025, aimed at advancing space technology continent-wide.
In Ethiopia, the government plans to launch its third Earth observation satellite by 2026 and to have 10 satellites by 2035. Kenya continues to develop its space capabilities through the Kenya Space Agency, which launched its first satellite in 2018 and an operational Earth observation satellite, Taifa-1, in 2023.
Nigeria has successfully launched six satellites with its space agency, which was established in 1999.
FASESA and Boeing aim to extend the “Pathways to Space” programme to more African countries in the coming years, continuing their mission to equip African students with the skills to excel in the growing space industry.
Since 2008, Boeing has partnered with over 40 non-profit organisations across Africa, investing $22 million to support educational and economic development initiatives.
