In The News
Announcement: Africa's first lunar mission
Africa2Moon selected for upcoming lunar mission!
The World's first lunar radio astronomy array scheduled to land on the Moon designed and built by Africans.
24 April 2025
Head of Science Dr Adriana Marais, Mission Director Carla (Sharpe) Mitchell received confirmation that Africa2Moon is a selected payload on the Chang'e-8 Mission to the Moon.
The Foundation for Space Development Africa is thrilled to announce a significant milestone in its flagship project, Africa2Moon. Eleven years ago, the vision was born to develop a radio telescope array on the far side of the Moon, with the ultimate goal of deploying 55 antennas—one for each African nation. Today, Africa2Moon takes a giant leap forward as the Africa2Moon Technology Demonstrator has been selected as a payload on the Chang’e-8 mission to the Moon’s south pole. The announcement was made by the China National Space Administration on the 24th April 2025, during the China Space Day inauguration ceremony in Shanghai.
In 2023, the team submitted a proposal for the Technology Demonstrator, consisting of four autonomous antennas that will operate together as a single array. These antennas will observe low-frequency radio signals that are generally opaque from Earth due to atmospheric interference. This project will establish the first African lunar mission, and the first radio astronomy array on the Moon’s surface, enabling unprecedented scientific discoveries from the lunar environment.
What is Radio Astronomy and Why Does it Matter?
Radio astronomy studies celestial objects and phenomena using radio waves instead of visible light. This allows scientists to observe parts of the universe invisible to optical telescopes, such as distant galaxies, black holes, and remnants of the early Universe. Conducting radio astronomy from the Moon eliminates interference from Earth’s atmosphere and human-made signals, opening a new frontier for ground-breaking research.
“This technology demonstrator is not just a technical achievement—it is a beacon of what African science and innovation can accomplish. Africa2Moon is also about inspiring a continent to dream, achieve world firsts, and show that Africa has a vital role to play in humanity’s future,” said Dr. Adriana Marais, Director at the Foundation for Space Development Africa. “Designed and built by Africans, this will be the first radio astronomy array to reach the Moon, to do new science, and pave the way for future lunar radio astronomy instruments.”
The Foundation for Space Development Africa forges new scientific collaboration with the team from Peru.
Collaboration and Support
“We have come this far, I believe, by the grace of God and through the tireless efforts and passion of our team,” said Carla Mitchell, founding Director of the Foundation for Space Development Africa and creator of Africa2Moon. “I believe that collaboration is key to our future and I am humbled by the incredible talent, dedication, and support that have shaped the Africa2Moon project. It’s a testament to what we can achieve when we work together.”
This new collaboration was formalised in September 2024, with the Foundation for Space Development Africa signing onto China’s International Lunar Research Station (ILRS) partner framework.
The Foundation for Space Development Africa incubates projects that positively impact lives in Africa and that enhance African resilience through space science and technology. The Africa2Moon initiative owes its progress to the dedication of a team of volunteers and the steadfast support of key partners. A large team of experts from South African institutions, the South African National Space Agency (SANSA), the South African Radio Astronomy Observatory (SARAO), National Institute for Theoretical and Computational Sciences (NITheCS), South African industry and universities now contribute to the mission's success.
This programme has also been a bridge for our growing African collaborations including those with the Botswana International University of Science and Technology (BIUST), the Ghana Space Science and Technology Institute (GSSTI), and the Kenya Space Agency (KSA), as well as for wider international collaboration as demonstrated in the new scientific collaboration with Peru, developing academic and engineering partnerships in radio astronomy and lunar science.
