Ismail El Omari | Morocco

What does it take to build a space community where one barely exists?

This week, I sit down with Ismail El Omari, a Moroccan space architect, analog astronaut, educator, and founder of the Moroccan Association for Space Studies (MASS).

From his childhood fascination with space to participating in analog astronaut missions and becoming one of Morocco’s leading space advocates, Ismail shares how he’s helping inspire a new generation of explorers across Morocco and Africa.

We discuss Morocco’s surprising history with space exploration, the country’s growing role in astronomy and satellite technology, the importance of space architecture, and why Ismail believes space exploration has the power to unite humanity in ways few other pursuits can.

We also dive into AstroKids Space Camp, what may be Morocco’s first dedicated space camp for children, where young students built rovers, learned about rockets and planets, worked together to solve challenges, and discovered that they too can be part of humanity’s future among the stars.

Whether you’re interested in architecture, education, analog missions, or inspiring the next generation of explorers, this is a conversation about how big dreams can grow into movements.

Featuring