Commercial Chinese space port in Djibouti

[jpo234]

The Head of State presides over a ceremony dedicated to the realization of satellite launch sites in Obock

The Head of State, His Excellency Ismail Omar Guelleh, presided this Monday, late morning, at the Palace of the Republic, a ceremony of preliminary agreement of technological partnership between our country and the Company "Hong Kong Aerospace Technology Group", specialized in the design, the realization and the exploitation of platforms of launching of satellites and rockets.

The audience between President Guelleh and the senior staff of the Chinese company served as a framework for consultation on the timetable for the final intervention of the project and the various phases of which it will be composed.

Supposed to give, over a period of 5 years, our country a series of platforms for launching satellites and rockets, the technological partnership project which acquires today the principle of agreement, is itself subject to the prior realization of a series of development infrastructure.

Therefore, the northern region of Obock which will host this mega project is assigned the duty to acquire upstream a breakout port and a highway of international standard, essential to the routing of heavy materials necessary for the establishment of aerospace sites.

Transversal project, it will also dispose of an inevitable process of energetic development, solar, wind, hydro-electric...

This, if only because the infrastructures under construction require a high need of electricity.

There is no doubt that through this project, our country accesses a wider range of strategic data on its development and a greater ability to assess a crucial order of issues including those related to the consequences of climate change.

Win-win partnership, Djibouti is chosen to host this project of about one billion dollars based on its geographical location near the Equator, conducive to the realization of high definition shots in the missions of observation and satellite analysis and aerospace rockets.

The agreement provides for the final concession of aerospace infrastructure built to the Djiboutian side, after a co-management of 30 years, expected to lead to a process of transfer of skills and expertise.

The Minister of Higher Education and Research, Mr. Nabil Mohamed Ahmed, signed for the Djiboutian side the agreement this morning.

The Ambassador of the Republic of Djibouti to the People's Republic of China, Mr. Abdallah Abdillahi Miguil, took part in this event.

As for the company "Hong Kong Aeroposace Technology Group", it was represented by its General Manager, Mr. Wilson Lau Wai Hang, accompanied by his main collaborators.

Translated with www.DeepL.com/Translator (free version)

[Steven Pietrobon]

Never heard of the Republic of Djibouti before. Its a tiny country located at about 11.5° north on the east coast of Africa, at the exit of the Red Sea and to the east of the Gulf of Aden.

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Djibouti

[Vahe231991]

Never heard of the Republic of Djibouti before. Its a tiny country located at about 11.5° north on the east coast of Africa, at the exit of the Red Sea and to the east of the Gulf of Aden.

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Djibouti

The Chinese have a naval base in Djibouti, and the possibility that the South African National Space Agency and Ethiopian Space Science and Technology Institute could be invited to finance the construction of the Chinese spaceport in Djibouti cannot be ruled out.

[russianhalo117]

Never heard of the Republic of Djibouti before. Its a tiny country located at about 11.5° north on the east coast of Africa, at the exit of the Red Sea and to the east of the Gulf of Aden.

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Djibouti

The Chinese have a naval base in Djibouti, and the possibility that the South African National Space Agency and Ethiopian Space Science and Technology Institute could be invited to finance the construction of the Chinese spaceport in Djibouti cannot be ruled out.

The new Chinese 'CNSA' Equatorial Spaceport might be built on a disused portion of a nearby auxiliary PRC government annex belonging to the The People's Liberation Army Support Base - Djibouti (opersted by People's Republic of China: People's Liberation Army Navy (PRC: PLAN)).

[koroljow]

Interestingly in the 1960s Djibouti was considered as an excellent choice for the new french spaceport - but ruled out because of political instability.

[JohnFornaro]

Would they launch along the axis of the Gulf of Aden?

[chopsticks]

Would they launch along the axis of the Gulf of Aden?

I was wondering this too. If it's supposed to be used for equatorial launches, they will have to overfly Somalia. (Also, 11°N for equatorial launches doesn't seem ideal but how significant is the delta-v penalty to change the inclination?)

Any launches heading north will overfly the Arabian peninsula.

[russianhalo117]

Would they launch along the axis of the Gulf of Aden?

I was wondering this too. If it's supposed to be used for equatorial launches, they will have to overfly Somalia. (Also, 11°N for equatorial launches doesn't seem ideal but how significant is the delta-v penalty to change the inclination?)

Any launches heading north will overfly the Arabian peninsula.

AFAIU:
The Naval base and suspected building site is located on the land CNES and its predecessor recommended for their next Diamant launch base which was in turn switched to Kourou as the French colonies sought independence.

[catdlr]

Would they launch along the axis of the Gulf of Aden?

John I saw that too, limited flight lines, only due East. But due to China's long-term relationship with Somalia (the first African nation to do so) China (in my estimate) may provide aid to allow overflight.  You commented also in the Rwanda update thread, China has an influence there as well. Rwanda is landlocked but could allow China to launch its proposed satellites from Djibouti (just my estimate).

https://www.fmprc.gov.cn/mfa_eng/wjdt_665385/wshd_665389/202209/t20220923_10770389.html

Wang Yi said that China firmly supports the governance of the new Somali government and believes that Somalia's peaceful development will continue to move forward. China appreciates Somalia's firm adherence to the one-China principle, supports Somalia in safeguarding its sovereignty, dignity and territorial integrity, and will continue to stand with Somalia in the international arena and support its legitimate demands. China is willing to strengthen solidarity with all developing countries, oppose unilateral bullying and jointly uphold non-interference in internal affairs, which is a basic norm of international relations.

[Comga]

Launching due east from Obock goes just north of the tip of Somalia.
At 800 km downrange, any overflight would be by the second stage and the IIP would cross in seconds posing little risk.
If needed, a tiny dogleg would impose little payload penalty, particularly for GEO launches where it would be taken out at or above GEO altitude.

But Obock is like Omelek Island with a vast dessert to the west but no paved runway nearby.
Logistics would be a nightmare. 
Just getting water for a launch pad deluge would be arduous.
It’s very hot and dry.

[Asteroza]

Building an airport for the PLAN base that doubles as spaceport support is not outside the realm of possibility, as I believe the chinese are participating in antipirate operations in the area. The justification for an airborne maritime surveillance support facility exists.

[Timothytyy]

https://twitter.com/CNSAWatcher/status/1614509697930874880

China’s space industry setting foot in Africa. On Jan 9, HKATG announced that it had signed a memorandum with Djibouti to “jointly develop and operate” the Djibouti Space Port, constructing 7 satellite launch pads and 3 rocket test beds, etc. Source: https://buff.ly/3XyFyr4

[eeergo]

Went nowhere real fast, didn't even last 3 months:

https://twitter.com/CNSpaceflight/status/1646863361815248898

[Vahe231991]

Went nowhere real fast, didn't even last 3 months:

https://twitter.com/CNSpaceflight/status/1646863361815248898

I found this article relating to the now-scuttled Chinese plans for a space launch facility in Djibouti explaining how those plans fell afoul of UN rules following space governance:
https://foreignpolicy.com/2023/04/21/china-space-law-treaty-djibouti-obock-launch-facility-ost/

[Robotbeat]

So you're saying... if the OST somehow stymies space settlement for some reason, maybe African nations could do it instead? I like it.

[Steven Pietrobon]

So you're saying... if the OST somehow stymies space settlement for some reason, maybe African nations could do it instead? I like it.

I think that as long as China has authority of the launch, they will be held responsible according to the space laws they have signed, just as China is responsible when they launch from international waters.