The Angolan National Space Program Management Office (GGPEN) was established with the mission of promoting the peaceful use of space, as well as conducting strategic studies aimed at establishing cooperation agreements with technical and scientific institutions in the space domain. In addition, GGPEN works towards ensuring the creation of national technological and human competencies and the transfer of technology and know-how within the scope of the Space Program.
With this mission, GGPEN is the primary space institution in Angola and is the institution in charge of all Angola satellites (already launched AngoSat-1, and future satellites like AngoSat-2 and AngoSat-3). The institution, led by Zolana Joao has been successfully driving space program in the country in the past years and was instrumental to the development of the Angolan National Space Strategy.
To promote space education and outreach in the country, GGPEN has been supporting several startup companies offering products and services to support its mission. Through its training, workshops and support for events like the Angola ICT Forum (ANGOTIC), an event for knowledge sharing and a networking hub for government entities, industry players and emerging mobile service providers, GGPEN has been able to identify and groom few startups offering products and services to support space education and outreach, as well as other services in the industry value chain.
The following are some of the latest spinoffs from ANGOTIC 2019 supported by GGPEN.
PORTAL KIDS
Portal kids have developed a digital portal that is used to disseminate space education contents for children. They support productions of multimedia contents and operates exclusive channel that teaches young students about space and satellite.
TECNO SOCIETY, LDA
This company develops control and monitoring systems, 3D printing and telecommunications systems while also offering nanosatellites tracking courses. Some of their products include ground station systems, amateur radio for nanosatellites and antenna systems.Â
CAMSTUDIO
CamStudio develops space exploration games and apps, they bring alive space education through entertainments. In the past, this company developed a complementary app for Angosat Educa. CamStudio products are made available on Google PlayStore and AppStore.Â
HUMBITEC
Humbetic is an EO company focusing on digital image and GIS processing. The company make use of satellite data to address challenges in various sectors including the health sector, management, agriculture, urban management and governance.Â
AUTONATION
AutoNation is a company with a STEM focus. The company organizes workshops around space education and robotics with several programs and projects driven in various schools across the country. AutoNation produces several contents to drive its space education and outreach programs.
BOMCOMIX
Bomcomix is a design and animation studio focusing on the development of designs and animations for space education. The company develops and integrate contents and organizes several programs and initiatives for space outreaches and roadshows.Â
LUSO ACADEMIA
Like Bomcomix, Luso Academia also operates a design and animation studio with a focus on physics and astronomy contents for space education and outreach.Â
In a chat with Space in Africa, Mr Zolana Joao, the Managing Director of GGPEN made it clear that the institution is committed to supporting commercial companies in the industry value chain and this is evident in its support for young scientists and entrepreneurs.
Read: Angola Sends Six Technicians to France to Gain Advanced Knowledge in Space Engineering
On 9 May 2019, the Angolan government approved a short-term 2019-2022 Strategic Plan of the National Space Programme Management Office to bolster the long-term National Space Strategy 2016-2025 and other cross-sectional economic frameworks.
According to the National Space Strategy, the government is optimistic that revenue obtained from space activities and technologies especially from surplus capacity on AngoSat and future communications satellites to the private sector and neighbouring countries as well as commercialization of satellite imageries in the medium and long term, and exploitation of orbital positions, will be alternative sources of financing for the National Space Strategy and Programs.
