EMERGING SPACE PROGRAMS IN SUB-SAHARAN AFRICA

Sub-Saharan African countries with established space programs have pursued a variety of different space policies, some focusing on national security, some focusing on socioeconomic development, or some on a mix of the two. Which factors—foreign partners, domestic politics, bureaucratic institutions, or economic capacity—are the strongest drivers of these policy decisions in African space programs? This thesis uses a qualitative case study analysis of the two most advanced space programs in sub-Saharan Africa, South Africa and Nigeria, to address the research question. Each case study provides a brief history of the country's space program before analyzing the roles each factor plays in space policy decisions. In both South Africa and Nigeria, only domestic political priorities had a strong impact on the space programs’ trajectories, while the remaining factors exhibited either weak influence or no influence. The strength of the political priorities hypothesis suggests a high degree of political agency and national pride in each country's space program, which contrasts with typical "Afro-pessimist" approaches to African studies. If U.S. leaders desire to improve geopolitical relationships with strategic partners in Africa, thereby counterbalancing great power competition on the continent, the U.S. should assist African countries in implementing their political priorities by increasing space cooperation with African countries across the commercial, civil, and military sectors.Outstanding ThesisLieutenant, United States NavyApproved for public release. distribution is unlimite