Workshop on Space Futures Design
Africa's space ecosystem is expanding rapidly. The establishment of the African Space Agency, growth in national space programmes, increasing private sector activity, and emerging opportunities in satellite services, AI, Earth observation and lunar exploration, are creating new possibilities for the continent. At the same time, the pace of technological, economic, environmental, and geopolitical change is creating unprecedented uncertainty. Increasingly, leaders around the world are recognising that success in complex environments requires more than technical expertise. It requires the ability to anticipate change, explore alternative futures, identify emerging opportunities and risks, and make informed decisions under uncertainty. These capabilities are often described as Futures Literacy, Strategic Foresight, and Anticipatory Leadership. As Africa expands its participation in the global space sector, there is an opportunity to explore how these capabilities might complement existing technical, scientific, and policy leadership development efforts.
Format
Interactive virtual workshop for about 90 minutes
Target Audience
• Space professionals
• Scientists and engineers
• Policymakers
• Entrepreneurs
• Students
• Educators
• Emerging space leaders
Guiding Question
As humanity enters a new space age, what role should Africa play in shaping a future that is innovative, inclusive, sustainable, and beneficial to all?
Design Approach
Rather than presenting futures thinking as an academic subject, the Workshop would provide participants with an opportunity to experience selected foresight methods through practical application.
Participants would be invited to:
• Explore emerging trends and drivers shaping Africa's space future.
• Imagine alternative futures for Africa's space sector.
• Develop future-oriented headlines and visions.
• Identify actions that could help create preferred futures.
• Reflect on Africa's role in humanity's future beyond Earth.
Expected Benefits
• Exposure to Futures Literacy concepts and tools.
• Greater awareness of emerging opportunities and challenges.
• New perspectives on leadership in the space sector.
• Introduction to strategic foresight as a practical capability.