Annually on 12 April, the space community commemorates the day the first human (Yuri Gagarin) launched into outer space with a remarkable event called Yuri’s Night. This year, Kibera Aeronautics & Space Academy (KASA), in partnership with Space Generation Advisory Council, Amateur Astronomy Society of Kenya (AASK), Leo Sky Africa and Mars Society Kenya, celebrated the event on 16 April at Tunapanda Institute, Kibera – Nairobi. The event served to reflect and take account of the past, get into the present, and project into the future of human spaceflight. The event focused on Taking Account of Space Activities in Kenya and Importance of Human Spaceflight.

During the event, Kibera Aeronautics & Space Academy – KASA cofounder, Adrian Schmidt, virtually delivered a keynote talk that covered a ‘Brief history of spaceflight activities’, ‘Careers in spaceflight’, ‘Later usage of spaceflight technology on Earth’, Cooperation between different Nations and cultures in spaceflight’, and ‘The role of private organizations in spaceflight‘. A recording of his presentation can be accessed below.