Cansat Leader Training Program 14: Shohei Aoki

TOP > Program > CLTP14 > Shohei Aoki

CLTP graduates' leadership in their countries!

Shohei Aoki

Class of CLTP14

Jomo Kenyatta University of Agriculture and Technology
JICA Expert/Adjunct Associate Professor
Kenya

Present status:	JICA Expert, AFRICA-ai-JAPAN Project
Present position:	Adjunct Associate Professor at the Department of Mechatronic Engineering, Jomo Kenyatta University of Agriculture and Technology, Kenya
Field of specialization:	Mechatronics, Aerospace engineering
Research Interests:	Space propulsion, Robotics, Additive manufacturing, Computational Fluid Dynamics, Remote sensing

Statement of Purpose

In Kenya, promoting space engineering is one of the national focuses. I am currently working on the Nakuja Project, a rocket development project at the Jomo Kenyatta University of Agriculture and Technology in collaboration with the Kenya Space Agency. There is also a satellite development project called Tafiti by a university consortium.

Despite the growing interest, there are few local experts and professionals in satellite development. Therefore, there is a strong need for instructors to build capacity. I have been interested in the HEPTA-Sat training program since I first saw it in Kenya in 2019. At the New Space Africa Conference held in Egypt in 2025, I had an opportunity to talk with UNISEC Global and decided to apply for CLTP.

Feedback from CLTP14

The quality of the teaching was top-notch. The satellite design process was explained in detail. The curriculum was designed to enable participants to build up subcomponents of an entire satellite system systematically. The hands-on sessions to assemble, integrate, and test the satellite were enjoyable.

It was valuable to exchange opinions with participants from different countries interested in space engineering education, research, and development.

Vision for the future

I will bring back the knowledge of nanosatellite development gained from CLTP to my university and provide technical support to the CubeSat development team.

I hope to initiate collaborations with universities and other institutions based on the human network established during the CLTP. Collaborations with neighboring East African countries, such as Uganda and Tanzania, are expected.

I aim to organize the CanSat competition in Kenya to promote the satellite engineering education in African universities. Our university rocket currently under development will be used as the launch vehicle.

Message for future CLTP participants

I strongly recommend the CLTP for those who are motivated to teach nanosatellite development in their institutions. The program also provides valuable opportunities for networking with space engineering professionals from Japan and other countries.

Seeing the work of the Nihon University students developing satellites was inspiring. The program is even recommended for those who are already engaged in nanosatellite development.