Excitement filled the air at Shree Cutch Satsang Swaminarayan Academy in Lang’ata as students made history by speaking live with an astronaut aboard the International Space Station (ISS), in an event aimed at inspiring the next generation of Kenya’s space professionals.
The live contact, organised through the Amateur Radio on the International Space Station (ARISS) programme in partnership with the Kenya Space Agency (KSA), gave selected learners a rare opportunity to ask questions directly to a crew member orbiting hundreds of kilometres above Earth.
Opening the event, the Director General of the Kenya Space Agency, Major General Hillary B. Kipkosgey, described the interaction as more than just an exciting technological achievement, saying it was a demonstration that space is becoming increasingly relevant to Kenya’s future.
“In a few moments, something remarkable will happen. A few selected students right here in Kenya will have a live interaction with a crew member onboard the International Space Station,” the Director General said.
He thanked the management of Shree Cutch Satsang Swaminarayan Academy for hosting the event and acknowledged ARISS, amateur radio operators and technical teams whose coordination made the live communication possible.
“It is not a small technological feat. It takes precise orbital timing, dedicated ground station time and goodwill between space agencies and the amateur radio community across the world. That you are experiencing it here today is something we should all be proud of,” he said.
The Director General also used the occasion to highlight Kenya’s growing role in the global space sector, noting that space technology is already supporting national development in critical areas.
“Kenya’s journey into space is young, but it is real and advancing rapidly. We utilize space data to track drought, monitor our forests and water resources, support our farmers, and help disaster responders act before a crisis becomes a tragedy,” he said.
He challenged students to view the event as a gateway to future careers, emphasizing that opportunities in the space industry extend far beyond becoming astronauts.
“Space is not something distant, abstract or remote that happens elsewhere. It is something Kenya is deeply involved in, and something you can be part of,” he said.
The KSA chief encouraged learners to pursue their passions, explaining that the expanding space sector requires professionals from diverse disciplines, including engineering, geography, law, communications, arts and data science.
“Whatever subject you love in school, there is very likely a place for it in space,” he told the students.
Addressing teachers, he thanked them for nurturing curiosity among young learners, while applauding the ARISS team and amateur radio operators for creating what he described as a bridge between Kenyan classrooms and space.
He concluded with a message of hope to the students, urging them to remember the experience as the beginning of bigger dreams.
“Today, you will listen to the voice of an astronaut. One day it could be someone listening to yours,” he said.
The ARISS contact event forms part of efforts by the Kenya Space Agency to promote science, technology, engineering and mathematics (STEM) education while encouraging more young Kenyans to explore careers in the country’s growing space industry.
