SPACE APPLICATIONS AND NATURAL CAPITAL MONITORING
DATE & TIME:
April 23, 2026 10:00 am - 10:40 am
LOCATION:
Africa hosts some of the world’s most strategically located astronomy facilities, yet the rapid expansion of LEO mega-constellations is changing the night sky. Increased satellite traffic introduces light pollution, radio frequency interference, and orbital congestion that threaten to compromise optical and radio observations, data integrity, and long-term research planning.
This session examines how the growth of commercial LEO systems affects observatories, and what this means for future African astronomy infrastructure.
It will explore the balance between connectivity ambitions and scientific preservation, and, as the regulatory frameworks governing this issue are at best underdeveloped, panellists will assess what regulatory protections are technically feasible and politically achievable at the national, regional, and international levels.
speakers
