Year born: Early 1990s
Research Areas: Aerospace Engineering and Space Missions
Early Life
Rose Wanjiku Njogu-Mwangi grew up in Nairobi, Kenya. She liked science at school. She also liked solving problems. She later moved to the United States. She studied at Embry-Riddle Aeronautical University in Florida. She earned a degree in Aerospace Engineering. She then earned a Master’s degree in Aeronautics.
While at university, Rose joined student groups. She worked with the National Society of Black Engineers. She helped encourage other students. She finished her studies in 2017.
Career highlights
After graduating, Rose returned to Kenya. She started working with drones. Drones are small flying machines. They can watch Earth from above. Her work helped farming and disaster response.
In 2020, Rose joined Sayari Labs. This is a space company in Kenya. The company builds space technology. It works with the Kenyan Space Agency. Rose is the Chief Operations Officer at Sayari Labs. She helps lead science projects. She also leads work on satellite temperature control. This keeps satellites safe in space. It stops them from getting too hot or too cold.
Sayari Labs worked on two major missions with Rose. The first was Janus-1. It launched in February 2023. Sayari Labs built a key computer part for it. This was important for Kenya. The second mission was TAIFA-1. It launched in April 2023. TAIFA-1 was Kenya’s first working satellite. The name Taifa means “one nation.” The satellite watches Earth. It helps farming and the environment.
Legacy
Rose Wanjiku Njogu-Mwangi helped grow Kenya’s space work. Her work on TAIFA-1 was a big step. It helped Kenya prepare for future missions. She wants Kenya to build its own space tools. She also wants African countries to work together. Her career shows how engineers can shape the future.
Other Interests
Rose has organised different outreach events such as, a Walk against Leukemia, mentoring young students in High School and participating in school outreach events