Kenya has been selected to host the 2026 round of the Amateur Radio on the International Space Station (ARISS) programme, making it the only African nation chosen for the prestigious global initiative this year.
The programme enables direct radio communication between students, professionals, and the general public on Earth with astronauts aboard the International Space Station. Kenya's hosting window is scheduled for July and December 2026.
ARISS has operated since the late 1990s, connecting educational institutions worldwide with space exploration. For Kenya, this represents a significant milestone in the nation's growing ambitions in space science and technology.
"This is about more than a radio call," says Dr. Margaret Kaluti, a physicist at the University of Nairobi. "It's about showing Kenyan students that space exploration isn't just for other continents. We belong there too."
Kenya's selection comes as the country positions itself as an emerging player in Africa's space sector. The nation sits on the equator, providing an ideal geographical position for satellite launches and space observation. The Kenya Space Agency, established in 2017, has been steadily building capacity in satellite technology and space science education.
The ARISS programme will allow Kenyan students to ask astronauts questions in real-time about life in orbit, scientific experiments, and the future of space exploration. Previous participating countries have reported significant increases in student interest in STEM fields following their ARISS sessions.
"When a child in Nairobi or Mombasa hears an astronaut's voice answering their question from space, something shifts," explains James Mwangi, a science educator who has worked with the Kenya Space Agency on outreach programmes. "Suddenly, space isn't something that happens somewhere else. It's real, and it's accessible."
The selection also reflects Africa's broader push into space technology. Several African nations have launched satellites in recent years, with South Africa, Nigeria, Egypt, and Ghana all developing space programmes. Rwanda launched its first satellite in 2019, while Ethiopia followed in 2019.
But Kenya's ARISS selection is different. It's not about launching hardware into orbit. It's about inspiration, education, and demonstrating that African young people have a place in humanity's next frontier.
The programme will involve schools, universities, and amateur radio enthusiasts across Kenya. Organizers are working to ensure participation extends beyond Nairobi to rural areas where access to STEM education resources remains limited.
Critics might dismiss this as symbolic. But symbols matter when you're building a culture of scientific ambition. Kenya has consistently shown it can leapfrog traditional development stages, from mobile money with M-Pesa to tech hubs in Nairobi. Space science could be next.
As the world enters a new space race, with commercial ventures and national programmes expanding rapidly, Africa is claiming its place. Kenya's selection for ARISS 2026 is one step in that journey.
54 countries, 2,000 languages, 1.4 billion people. This is just one of their stories.
