Egyptian Space Agency to launch African development Satellite

CAIRO – 22 June 2024: Dr. Sherif Sedky, CEO of the Egyptian Space Agency, unveiled key projects currently being undertaken by the agency. He announced that by the end of this year, the African Development Satellite, a collaborative project between Egypt, Kenya, Uganda, and Nigeria, will be launched.

In an exclusive statement to "Youm7," Sedky highlighted another project involving the installation of a remote sensing camera on the International Space Station (ISS). This initiative is also a partnership between Kenya, Uganda, Nigeria, and Egypt.

Additionally, he mentioned another significant project called "SPINX," funded by the Academy of Scientific Research. This satellite, dedicated to studying climate changes, is scheduled for launch by the end of 2024.

Sedky elaborated that the African Development Satellite focuses on climate change studies. The participating African countries—Nigeria, Uganda, Kenya, and Egypt—are jointly designing the satellite's subsystems, with Egypt responsible for the design, assembly, integration, testing, and launch.

Each country is responsible for a specific subsystem. In preparation for this project, these countries were invited to train at the Egyptian Space Agency on building satellite subsystems. This satellite aims to study climate change across Africa.

Regarding the remote sensing camera project for the ISS, Dr. Sedky explained that it is supported by the UN Office for Outer Space Affairs and in collaboration with Airbus. The camera will be designed, assembled, and tested entirely in Egypt before being placed on the ISS. This project will contribute to Egypt's space exploration records.