Senegalese Space Study Agency
The Senegalese Space Study Agency (Agence Sénégalaise d'Études Spatiales, ASES) is Senegal's national space agency, inaugurated on March 23, 2023 under then-president Macky Sall and led by director Maram Kairé, a Senegalese engineer who previously worked on three NASA missions before returning to lead the new agency. ASES oversaw the development and launch of GaindéSat-1A, Senegal's first satellite, which launched from Vandenberg Space Force Base on August 16, 2024, and the agency has also signed the Artemis Accords as part of Senegal's push into international space cooperation. ASES represents one of the newest national space agencies in West Africa, established as Senegal moved to build sovereign satellite and space-research capability essentially from a standing start.