Kenya has begun formal steps toward the development of a commercial spaceport after the National Treasury issued Terms of Reference for the procurement of transaction advisory services for the project.
The initiative, led by the Kenya Space Agency (KSA), seeks to lay the groundwork for establishing a satellite launch facility in the general area of Kipini, between Malindi and Lamu, along Kenya’s coastline.
According to the document issued on December 16, 2025, the government is seeking an experienced transaction advisor to assess the technical, financial, legal, environmental, and social feasibility of developing a commercial spaceport under a Public–Private Partnership (PPP) arrangement.
The decision is anchored on Kenya’s strategic geographical position along the equator, which offers significant advantages for satellite launches, including reduced fuel requirements, lower launch costs, and the ability to place satellites into equatorial and low-inclination orbits.
A spaceport is essentially a facility on Earth or potentially another planet where a spacecraft can land or receive support.
According to records, Africa currently has no active spaceport, despite past launches from Algeria and Kenya’s San Marco Equatorial Range near Malindi, which conducted satellite and sounding rocket launches between 1964 and 1988.
As a result, satellites manufactured in Africa must be transported abroad for launch, attracting high logistical and operational costs, a gap the proposed Kenyan spaceport aims to address.
Under the plan, the transaction advisor will prepare a comprehensive feasibility study in line with the PPP Act, 2021, including concept designs, launch vehicle options, infrastructure requirements, lifecycle cost estimates, and a phased implementation plan for the spaceport.
The advisor will also assess market demand, conduct market sounding with potential investors and launch operators, and recommend the most viable PPP structure for the project.
The project will involve coordination with multiple government agencies, including the Ministry of Defence, Kenya Civil Aviation Authority, Kenya Maritime Authority, National Intelligence Service, and National Environmental Management Authority.
The Malindi commercial spaceport being pursued by KSA will mainly be used for satellite launches and other space-related commercial activities.
It is expected to attract international partnerships and private investors interested in satellite deployment, earth observation, telecommunications, climate monitoring, and scientific research.
Meanwhile, as the government moves to initiate bigger infrastructure projects in 2026, among them the construction of roads, the procurement process for the space station is scheduled to close on February 13, 2026, marking a significant step toward Kenya’s ambition of developing a national satellite launch capability.
