Luigi Broglio Space Center

The Luigi Broglio Space Center (Centro Spaziale Luigi Broglio) is an Italian-managed spaceport and ground station facility located near Malindi, Kenya. It occupies a unique position in the global aerospace value chain as one of the few sites capable of supporting equatorial orbit launches and high-precision satellite tracking. The facility traditionally comprises offshore launch and control platforms, as well as a significant mainland ground segment for telemetry and data reception. Historically known for the San Marco programme, the site has facilitated the launch of numerous international satellites using Scout rockets. Today, the facility functions primarily as a critical node in the global ground station network for the Italian Space Agency (ASI) and its international partners, including the European Space Agency and NASA. It provides essential support for mission tracking, command, and data acquisition for orbital assets passing over the East African coastline. Prospective partners should verify the current operational status of the offshore launch platforms, as primary activity has shifted toward ground station services and remote sensing. Evaluation of bilateral sovereign agreements between Italy and Kenya is necessary to understand the legal and regulatory framework governing site access. Furthermore, technical verification of available radio frequency bands and data downlink capacities is required for specific mission integration.