Kenya appoints consortium to advise on proposed Kipini commercial spaceport

A consortium of Salience Consulting, SpaceDreamS and Gauff Consultants Africa has been appointed as transaction adviser for Kenya's proposed commercial spaceport at Kipini, on the coast between Malindi and Lamu. The team met stakeholders in Nairobi in the week of the announcement, made on 27 October 2026.

Salience leads the consortium and handles financial, legal, and environmental and social work. SpaceDreamS leads technical feasibility and systems engineering, while Gauff Consultants Africa leads civil and infrastructure engineering.

The appointment follows a 1 October funding agreement between the Kenya Space Agency and the National Treasury's PPP Directorate for the feasibility study. The study will assess sites, launch infrastructure, market demand, environmental and social impacts, economic and financial viability, value for money and private-sector options. Its findings will guide whether the agency proceeds. If it does, the consortium will support PPP procurement to financial close and build capacity within both bodies.

Why it matters: A funded, advisor-led feasibility study moves Kenya's launch ambitions from concept towards a bankable decision. Results could shape whether Africa gains an equatorial, east-facing launch site, and what site, environmental and infrastructure data will be needed.